What are the Top FIVE things you would do if you ran Research In Motion?

1. Apps, Apps, Apps
2. Ask the customer base what they'd like to see as features on a device
3. improve porcessor speed
4. Swift type
5. better battery life

As CEO, it is important to have a vision of not only where your product is going, but where the market is going.

There are only THREE things I would do differently.

1. ECOSYSTEM - Today's market is not about any one product. It is about the entire ecosystem. People want everything to connect and work simply and effortlessly. Changing the entire RIMM organization to be connected and consumer-centric is crucial. Creating key partnerships to grow their ecosystem is what the CEO's should work on. So far, Blackberry can connect to a car, a tablet, and each other. But it needs to be so much more. Build a BERRY-STANDARD like Bluetooth that includes integration with a set-top box (perhaps in partnership with Nintendo), a television (perhaps in partnership with LG, Panasonic, or Vizio), a desktop computer system (perhaps try to develop and license the QNX for free to Dell, HP and others for desktops). And all this should be connected by the cloud, which would be your control center. All your devices would just be ways to view and consume what is on your personal cloud. App's and documents need to be transferable between any device anytime using the personal cloud as your hard drive. Everything needs to back-up to the cloud instantly. No Apple TimeCapsule. Just a B-cloud.

2. Experiment with new technology. Think outside the box. Maybe the next generation phone needs to be a 1 inch x 1 inch black box. Or maybe just a clip that clips to your belt. Maybe the clip-phone comes with a bluetooth headphone that plugs into the phone and charges with it. Maybe the bluetooth headset IS your phone. Maybe you can just view everything through your eyeglasses, and you don't even need a headset or phone. Maybe the glasses can be plugged in and project a full screen on the wall. Maybe the projection on the wall can be moved with your hands. Maybe the wall is 3d in your glasses since it could show different images in each lens. Maybe the glasses can detect your hand movements and you can move things around in your glasses. The point isn't that RIMM needs to come out with these things. The point is that RIM needs to experiment with these new technologies so that when something does hit, they are ahead of the curve.

3. Yes, app's are critical. Give the app's away for free. Free app's IMHO is what really made Apple. I have downloaded free App's, become very comfortable with it, then downloaded 99 cent app's, became comfortable with that, and slowly worked up the chain.

Forget about marketing. Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door.

1. Get the core right. spend a lot of time getting email to be top-notch in a whole new revolutionary change. Make sure you have your corporate market sewn up right because its the slickest and easiest mobile PIM tool in the game.
2. Redesign and rethink how BIS works. That hat includes having another 20 consumer email platforms that work extremely well. Add both tasks and apps from multiple sources. If Microsoft can make activesync, you can come up with something that does the same thing, and syncs well, *including 2 way replication*.
3. Continue the incremental goodness, but commit to supporting a handset for upgrades etc for 2 years - if the warranty says so, and Android is going for 18 months with updates from Ice Cream Sandwich, delight your customers
4. After QNX and QNX G2, stop announcing phones until they're pretty soon to ship. focus on the OS as the way forward instead of working on the race to the bottom. Apple can do it with one device, you can do it with 5 and cover more markets.
5. Copy apples ethos on getting a few things right, and do that every year. This year should be the revolution by being able to integrate moving data sources from one app to another - id love to be able to navigate to postcodes, peoples names (if i have it in my phone book or from an email address, or similar functionality.

This last one is so obvious it wasn't worth using a number for. Make CBK (Mr Michaluk is now so cool he's known by 3 letters.. abbreviating crackberry kev for those a little slow) a VP in charge of marketing and evangelism. Don't let him near the secrets that aren't meant to be shared for 6 months! - just kidding. he should know about those, and make sure there's no hint of an NDA near him. You know he's going to break it anyway, right?

I really like the way an earlier poster said that devs could get 90% of the profits for at least 6 months. it makes designing for blackberry a viable proposition, but please slim down your development environments! if you have to provide more than one, choose 1 heavy duty for super apps which provides plugins to major IDE's, one medium weight, and a light weight one for beginners who want to play and learn!

1. Create divisions. Business and Consumer. Consumer will create phones for the people who choose to use this phone to make it a little more of a fun experience. Better Camera's, more apps etc. Business will continue to do what RIM is doing now.

2. Create and APP department. Nobody seems to be creating apps for you, time do it yourself. Maybe if RIM shows off what their phones can do, others will be inspired.

3. Yearly Product cycles. None of this 9700, then 7 months later 9780, then 8 months after that 9900. Beginning with QNX phones that needs to stop. 2 phones per year (keyboard and all touch), every year. Let people feel they have the best for at least that length of time.

4. No more half baked products. When you announce a product and show off all it's features it will not ship until the end user can have that same experience. None of this "android coming this summer" crap. You put out a product it's going to be at it's best, any updates should just be bug fixes.

1. Focus more effort on the hardware aspect of the BB devices, hence allowing for better phones in the long run.

2. Totally and completely DOMINATE the business niche in the mobile market, create a separate marketing team for consumers that are not as heavily business oriented with their devices.

3. Consider having a small team who does R & D on Blackberry accessories so as to know how to better cater t consumers who want to be able to PERSONALIZE their devices.

4. Keep up the good work with the Blackberry BetaZone, think about including some sort of reward system for those individuals who contribute.

5. Develop a meaningful system or improve on the Blackberry "trade up" system so that users will not carelessly dispose of their phones, thus helping with the environment...

1) Ensure GNX OS is 100% ready (same email functionality as OS7 and full flash support included) for new phones so the corporate world will be happy.
2) Ability to use android apps like promised.
3) Make your new BBM music sharing service free for the first 3 months. I personally wouldn't bother signing up if it were only 1 month, and make it 100 songs, not 50.
4) Offer free online classes on how to program for the GNX OS. For those that score top in the classes, fly them to waterloo, make them feel special etc... build loyalty and a desire to keep working with RIM.
5) 1080p Full HD playback and recording
6) Your Next Storm ( or Torch 9850/60) like model needs to have a bigger screen (go for a 4.27" super amoled plus display like the galaxy s2)
7)This new storm should focus on being a gaming platform with the corporate stuff as a nice bonus. Ensure you have the best graphics chip in it, processor and enough RAM to play games. This is not your bosses BB, though he will envy you.
8) Make a deal with Nintendo and have an emulator so you can play all their games on your phones. Think of it this way, the DS is for kids, the BB Storm for Adults. I'm sure Nintendo would love a piece of the action, but it can't sign with sony or microsoft, and apple doesn't like playing with others. Not sure you want all the wii games though, no wrist strap on a BB ;)
9) NFC on all phones.
10) Ensure users won't be running out of application storage. So annoying with my 9000.
11) This was already mentioned but More Screen Real-Estate on the Vertical axis for the 9810
12) Keep the camera competitive with the Joneses
13) HotSpot Capable

1) Don't promise things you can't deliver. And if ever you do (shit happens), don't be a douche and claim you never said that.

2) Don't ship top-of-the-line phones with bare-minimum specs guaranteeing they'll never be upgradable to the next version and generating terrible frustration in your user base. These phones should be upgradeable to at least the next major release, like the iPhone and most Android devices.

3) You need applications. Don't give free PlayBooks to basement coders who create useless apps rated one and a half star in AppWorld. Spend the money making sure the major players are on board. Preferably when the tablet/phone is released. Nobody should have to ask where's the Kindle app (one of countless examples) five months after the PlayBook is released.

4) Make sure the Facebook, Twitter and other high-profile apps that ship with the phone are best in class, not three generations behind the iPhone / Android versions. People judge you by them.

5) Always have one phone in the lineup with specs that compare to the best out there, even if that means the battery lasts four hours. There is a market for that. Plus, people won't be able to say RIM is behind.

I LOVE THIS POST This is what i would do. I could defitnitly turn rim around.

1.) MARKETING MARKETING MARKETING! Greatly increase the budget/marketing technique and strategy. Give celebrities new blackberry's for free and deeply encourage them to use it.
Increase US commercials, advertisement, make people sick and tired of looking at a Blackberry poster or commercial lol.

2.) I know this would be incredibly hard to do over night but its the only way. GO OPEN-SOURCE exactly like Android. Lets face it, Android is almost perfect, the only thing bad about android is the qewrty keyboards and lack of qwerty phones. Blackberry is perfect all they need is the application creators that Google has.

3.) I would stop creating curves, and solely concentrate on the ULTIMATE BOLD! the 9930 is almost perfect but still lacks the applications that android has including, stumble upon, words with friends, flash video apps, and angry farm etc.

4.) Make BBM and BBM VIDEO A PRIORITY! Front facing cameras on every new phones to allow easy video chat.

5.) Make every new blackberry have hdmi in and out, make the blackberry have the ability to "control" and be used as keyboards for external computers or devices. Example: Make my blackberry be able to be used with my play station 3 as a keyboard/mouse; make it be able to be controllers/keyboards/mouses for various consoles and computers.

These are major changes, I know. But blackberry has a "bad reputation" (of course not from me but from the rest of the world) so how do you change that repuation? By making these MAJOR changes and showing the world you are making these major changes because the bottom line is the customer and the features i stated up top is exactly what our customers would want.

1. Shift the internal mindset within the company onto who the real customers of RIM are and start catering to them- the user (be it consumer or business oriented), not the carriers. Users are the one's buying these devices and committing to 2 and in canada 3 year contracts for the privilege of using these devices. While the carriers are the ones directly selling the devices, it is user taste that dictates what is bought.

2. Hire a decent PR firm that can get the company reputation with their real customers out from under the sand (apart from those on CB obviously who are not blindfolded by all of the ipixie dust). The negative sentiment, while in some cases is founded, should be met or better yet preempted with a proper, full advertising campaign for existing products and services as well as proper announcements for upcoming devices. Seeing one commercial every month on TV followed by 50 bad scorching reviews isn't a positive...There are a lot of great uses for the products and amazing accessories that people simply do not know because they are hidden on a website, not available & known about through carriers. (How many of you actually knew that a Blackberry had a charging pod available for purchase before seeing cb.com?)

3. Push the envelope on your products, losing the "It's good enough" attitude, and give the products an air of sophistication from the first time the consumer sees the package, to booting up the device, to actually using it. The whole thing should be an experience that users will find memorable and build some loyalty. This means not being afraid to put more memory in the device (despite being "good enough" for "now"), making / dictating the packaging not seem like something purchased from the dollar store - 9900 on Rogers / Telus / Verizon (good) and Playbook (good) vs 9900 on TMO / 9780 (bad), and removing the dreaded truncated message limit where the size is deemed "good enough". Now, "good enough" also applies to QC , or lackthereof (looking at Mexico), Software builds (referring to Storm line). Bottom line is have the cajones to move forth. Consistent failures should be corrected (i.e. terminated)

4. Get some sense of Project Timelines - In terms of Product cycles, RIM has become a joke. Products are announced too early, deadlines not met, and when finally released to the market, it is left to the carrier / store to market (which means there is no marketing / press release). This even applies to accessories. Instead, announce the product at set times - devcon, blackberry world, back to school season, christmas, thanksgiving, spring break, whatever and stick to it. If you don't know a date ("60 days scheduled", "this summer", etc) don't open your mouth. Consistent failures again should be corrected.

5. Go retail. Baby steps are there already with shopblackberry.com (which mind you is abysmal - see comment on pushing the envelope above). Yes, there are a couple stores in airports...but I'm talking actual stores (no 30000 sq ft place, just something that people can come in and try the devices, and purchase them UNBRANDED and UNLOCKED. Between devices, accessories, and software (both consumer and enterprise) the pieces are there for "BlackBerry boutiques" to become major sources of new customers and revenue.

1. Marketing channel needs work. There is a clear weakness in the retailers. This is where we need them to be trained to push the better product. I went to Frys and the person in sales kept insisting to me that it is running android os... If they are not educated about the product, then they can't sell it either. RIM also needs to supply some advertisement and displays to all retailers. RIM needs to put some incentive on these advertisements being displayed. Manufacturers and retailers need to work closely together so both can benefit.

2. Recruit app developers to create needed apps in house. Some apps should almost be standard nowadays. This was seen in the playbook release where apps like twitter is missing. Hire that kid that did a youtube video on what the next blackberry ui should be like. RIM needs innovative and creative people like that who have passion for the product.

3. Do not release a product unless it is ready. RIM is asking for bad reviews if the product is released when it is not ready. This would hurt the sales of the product but ultimately this will hurt the image of the brand. Brand is more important than late release of product. if you say it has this and that, then it should have this and that at the release. Never make false promises.

4. Maintain core competency. Even if RIM creates only touchscreen devices, it needs to keep iconic qwerty keyboard types around. This does not mean to stay gripping onto old ways when their is a clearly new innovative path to go on. RIM's advantage was email and should maintain email as one of it's best features. RIM's original aim was corporate so RIM should still cater to corporate needs and wants.

5. It is very clear that RIM needs to get with the times. Single core processor??? Even if it is not needed in the device, the newest tech should be built in. It is not just about software anymore. Hardware is where it is at. Customers look at specs on devices and compare it to others. Great hardware with great software is when a great device is produced.

1. Bring back www.rimjobs.com

2. Stop having the weird incestuous R&D dept that doesn't look at what other competitors are developing to see what they can beat them at... example moto bionic with web top...

3. Never Hire the DJ you did at the playbook launch in Boston... ever again....

4. Blackberries are still known for their dependability and performance, keep it that way

5. Hire Kevin, He won't fuck up nearly as bad as Tony Hayward (BP oil guy)

Sorry, forgot to add that RIM needs to take advantage of EVERY feature of QNX in this new device.

Also, the word I was looking for regarding the Bold is "flagship". Makes me feel like 2nd class choosing a 9860. ALL RIM devices should be flagship devices!!!

Okay, it's about time I did this. This one is called Making RIM Better!

1. There are four form factors that make sense that will cover off most users needs:

a. physical keyboard stick phone (AKA Bold)
b. slider with physical keyboard & larger touch screen (AKA Torch 9800/10)
c. clamshell with physical keyboard, compact with no touch screen (AKA Style)
d. all-touch with no physical keyboard (AKA Torch 9850/60)

There is no need for a stripped down Bold (AKA Curve) or the Pearl. Can them! If you want a cheaper Bold (i.e., Curve), sell last year's model at a huge discount. Most importantly, DO NOT CRIPPLE ANY DEVICES and DON'T SHOW ANY FAVORITISM to any particular form factor; make each device the best it can be!!! Look at each device on its own rather than looking at a hierarchy of products. Bottom line is that those seeking an all-touch phone won't be comparing with other BlackBerry devices; they'll be comparing with other manufacturer's phones like the Galaxy S II and iPhone. RIM needs to really get that!!!

It sickens me to hear folks rant about the Bold saying it is the premier BlackBerry device. What about the rest of us who want an all-touch experience? We don't count? Are we second rate? When I see the 9850/60 being released with less flash RAM than the 9900/30, lower resolution screen in terms of ppi, and no NFC, isn't that what RIM is telling me? Yeah, I can hear them saying just that: I don't matter as much! I'll re-iterate, RIM, MAKE EACH DEVICE THE BEST IT CAN BE!!!

2, Really try to understand what users really NEED versus what they WANT. Separating the wants (chaff) from the needs (wheat) is key to making great business decisions. Often, I hear folks say things like "most people wanted this or that, so we did it". One example, is the "want" for a thinner, perhaps, sexier device, versus the "need" for longer battery life. Forget their wants, and instead, probe those folks to find their real needs. Probe those users further with questions like, "Would you like to have to charge your phone twice a day?" You'll get them to separate their wants & needs.

3. Make the QNX phone really, really great! Make a standout phone, architecturally & visually stunning, internal guts at the leading edge of technology, and software performance beyond anything available today. This needs to be a landmark phone which re-establishes RIM's lead and superiority in this super fast paced market segment. Don't miss this opportunity to make a strong statement. You blow this, and you're settling in for having a small piece of the pie forever. DO NOT RUSH IT, as the BB7 devices have just been released. RIM, you have time to do this right! You have at least 11 months for an early August release date. The current hardware will hold up for another 10 months, but the software could use some tweaking. RIM must continue to provide new releases of the BBOS 7 and make them directly available to consumers; this will tide them over until the new QNX superphone is released.

4. Start marketing your products, features, and services better! If you can't just yet, work closely with some carriers to do so. I can't believe I've not yet seen ONE advertisement on the new BlackBerrys on TV. Not one! Isn't this a big event for RIM; why is the public not aware of it. Please, please, please don't tell me you're expecting folks at Best Buy to sell it for you. Those folks may own an Android device, and they'll just sell Android or Apple.

Let me tell you this (and all these bloggers know this): the largest and best loved technology companies in the world are great marketing firms. Apple, Microsoft, Sony, Samsung, Dell... The list goes on. Without marketing, these firms would not be as successful as they are today. When they've got something that's great, they scream it from the tallest buildings: it's on TV, in the papers, billboards, IN YOUR FACE! You can't help but want an iPad, because Apple pushes it in your face every magazine you open, every time you watch TV, and every time you're looking off in the distance on a highway. Good marketing creates the desire for the product and puts it in the minds of consumers: I want this, or I've got to check it out! They're sold before they get in the store. The salesperson can't push an Android if the consumer has already made up their minds they want an iPhone. This is power. This is marketing, and for RIM, it is a HUGE opportunity lost. They MUST, MUST fix this or they'll only serve governments and some business enterprises.

5. This is a no-brainer! The Playbook needs WiFi & wireless technologies; HSPA/HSPA+/LTE. The Playbook also needs native mail & calendar. Android support is secondary to all of that. Keep improving Bridge performance & features to make the Playbook the envy of the industry. Tablets come and go, but few stick around to battle it out with the iPad. The Playbook is the only one thus far with the potential to do that. Why is RIM dragging their feet with the native mail & calendar? What about the planned 4G device? Do this and it will resurrect the Playbook again in the minds of consumers -- but you have to sell it! We'll like to see new marketing ads when the 4G Playbook comes around.

Folks, I've not read all the blog entries in this post, but I hope RIM will read them and really pay attention to what we've been thinking. This isn't just a dream wish. We believe in the platform as the best out there; RIM needs to believe in themselves but at the same time, RIM needs to really listen and look outside their "domain". One blogger suggested (sorry, I can't remember your name) that RIM employees (I think he means designers/developers) should really try to use an iPhone AND Android device for two weeks or a month. They need to appreciate why consumers are choosing those platforms. They need to learn how to make BlackBerry better!

It's definitely NOT about copying the look & feel of iOS (sorry, I can't stand the new cursor "stick-handles" in iOS compared to the what's (better!) in BBOS 5 & 6. RIM had a better solution but they caved to make it look & feel like iOS. What a tragedy! What foolishness! It all boils down to a lack of confidence. RIM, you've got to pipe up and admit YOU DO SOMETHINGS BETTER!!! If folks disagree, prove them wrong rather than caving to pressure.

I have the same beef with SurePress. It was better! MUCH better than what was out there. It lost because it was different (Apple fanboys balked; BlackBerry Bold users didn't care; so RIM thought they got it wrong) and the original Storm OS added to that pressure to change, even ditch the wonderful Storm name too! Okay, so some suggested they preferred a pure capacitive touch experience (I still don't know why as it wasn't as flexible or powerful); perhaps to prove them wrong, RIM could have built one to test this out. Seriously though, having to hit the back button numerous times to avoid deleting something by accident or going off to someplace I didn't want to go just because my finger just hovered over the touch screen is very unnerving! With my new 9860, I don't even trust my kids to use my phone for fear they will accidentally delete a contact or some valuable piece of info by accident. Folks who don't appreciate what I've just said really haven't had the experience to really get it. Pressing the SurePress screen button had a CERTAINTY to it. I didn't have to try two or three times to select something. Once I did pushed the button, I knew it would happen. Now, an accidental touch makes things happen.

Everyone agrees that keyboards/buttons must provide feedback when depressed. This is what SurePress accomplished. A RESOUNDING SUCCESS for RIM from a technology standpoint, which they won several awards! ...now lost for eternity, apparently. Really sad!

Finally, going back to the marketing issue, we have two different Torch devices just to confuse consumers and carriers :( RUBBISH!!! Can I use the word: counter-marketing? Meaning: to make products more difficult to market. I thought this was what the competition did rather than your own company! Why couldn't they come up with another name... or why couldn't they stick with the Storm name. Everyone agrees that the 9850/60 is what the Storm should have been. RIM didn't even give it a chance to succeed; after all, it was their rush to market with an incomplete OS 4.7 that really killed the Storm. Add to the fact that most folks didn't get or do an OS 5 upgrade, and the lack of marketing on the Storm 2, the Storm didn't stand a chance.

1 acquire SOTI and integrate full bluetooth / wifi remote control of device through pc create bb bridge app for ipad and android, so owners of bb handheld devices can have the illusion of bbm on ipad and android tablets if they want... make any tablet work with bb phones like PlayBook.

2 open blackberry stores in major centres to ensure that device displays are not pathetic and to ensure a customer can get a cool demo from an enthusiastic sales person, including in Best Buy / Target etc. stores so customers can try working devices, not stupid dummy units.

3 relationships with retailers for BB customers worldwide to register their PIN with RIM for really compelling, exclusive LOCATION BASED deals: so I walk by a Gap in Toledo and I get a BBM saying that BB users get 50% off any one item for the next 10 minutes etc... the offers have to be approved by a moderator (they have to be worth it) with maybe a separate category when they arrive (certainly a separate notification sound)

lastly, more developer relations successes as soon as possible (stating the obvious!)... get those top-20 apps on BB and PlayBook devices a.s.a.p!

Coming from a VP of Sales & Marketing perspective I would suggest the following: (Note, I'm staying away from the real technology of the market and instead focusing on brand an positioning).

1 - Stop trying to focus on competing with the iPad and Apple and instead focus on your core customer base. iPad's are not much more than an entertainment device. Position the Playbook as a business efficiency device that also has some media and entertainment capability. As an executive I love how much more productive I can be with my playbook on an airplane than just my phone or without having to bring out the laptop. The true value proposition of the Playbook has been lost somewhere, and the core customer base forgotten.

2 - Along the same marketing lines, create a better 'culture' of users. RIM has let its market ownership slip away to iPhones and other devices not because of the technology (or at least not as much), but because the brand as a whole is suffering. A marketing campaign strategically focused at its existing user base designed to unify its hardcore user group will strengthen its position in the market.

3 - Create community involvement campaigns designed to fulfill a specific need to use in ads/white papers/news items. By demonstrating the strategic value a Blackberry device can have in critical real time environments such as fire departments, heck even higher education campaigns to keep students and teachers in touch will directionally position RIM away from just being an email device for corporate users. This would expand user base, create awareness, and fill a need that folks may not even know they have. I love the term crackberry as much as anyone, but there's a negative connotation that is inherently associated. Overcome this mystique be getting a younger crowd, earlier.

4 - User Community needs complete overhaul and redesign. Up and down. From app developers to end user feedback, user community relations are lacking. (Goes toward #2, culture). Grass root campaigns calling on IT and business professionals could also work, and would market well.

5 - Lastly, and in general stop trying to compete and instead 'own' your own market. Erosion is occuring fast and furious with new devices, services and offerings daily. Leading does not mean you have to be first to market with everything.

Here's my 5 things...

1) Revamp my personnel. Make sure I have the right people in the right positions that share the ideals that I have to put this company back on top.

2) Push to have the QNX devices out in quarter 1, 2012 (early that is)
2a) Push to get Tablet OS 2.0 released ASAP

3) Put more resources into marketing the brand

4) Put more resources into development of apps

5) Revamp production procedures to make sure we are able to release our new products that is not only of high quality, but can compete with other brands (Fastest processors, front and rear facing cameras, etc.)

1. Fire current management

2. consolidate product line. only rim products will be the 10 inch workbook (no longer called playbook), touchscreen only torch, and bold. no cheap phones. only high quality stuff.

3. Upgrade BB desktop manager to have capabilities and user friendliness of itunes (organize media and apps, buy media and apps, outlook sync, control and organize app icons on the phone etc. user friendly is key.

4. focus on qnx and its app development.

5. invest more in marketing and advertisement.

1. You make the best, or one of the best phones. Best e-mail and messaging and best security. This is and should always be your roots. The new BB OS7 devices are better than the iPhone (Consumer Report said not to buy it because of dropped calls-antenna gate). Never let go of this advantage.

2. RIMM's problem (besides marketing that leaves much to be desired) is content. You are where you are but going forward you need to provide it because many people (less productive types to be sure but consumers non-the-less) want it. Music is just fine, but what about movies, books, audio books, magazines?
You are heading in the right direction with BBM Music, see if you can do something similar for movies. I don't watch them but many people want this. This is a place where the iPhone just crushes RIMM.

3. Establish strategic partnerships for content providers, even if you have to pay for one of them to start. Play them against each other. Once you get Google movies and books Amazon will follow. Apple is never going to do anything but seek your demise so they can get your customers so don't bother with them.

4. Your purchase of TAT and DataViz were awesome. I love to see that droid and iP users have to pay for a change to get a very useful and productive app. Keep working on making the experience of app developers better and if you need to pay for the top 10 apps that people want to be offered in all RIMM devices then pay it. I realize that at some point the number of apps is not relevant but you need to provide the vast majority of the very best and most popular apps.

5. You have recently show great vision with the introduction of NFC, world phones on all your devices. Please continue to look at the future opportunities beyond the balance sheet.

RIMM, you are an awesome company that provides a true outlet for many people with many views. I love your company. If you do the above, RIMM will keep growing and maybe some day, take the lead again. Regardless of that, keep making devices like the new BB Bold and you can't lose.

(1) Reduce the number of devices to two; BOLD QWERTY and FULL TOUCH

(2) Put quality FIRST. With fewer devices; make the build quality top of the line... this includes the specs. Let's face it; people compare this stuff and like to have the "best".

(3) Focus on what you do best; Communication... and market the hell out of it. Make your messaging apps something that creates a buzz; Twitter, Facebook, Text, Email <-- everyone uses this stuff so flex your muscles!!

(4) While I'm not an app guy... most people are. So... You've got to build a platform that enables the development of cool apps. Apps that change the notification light color don't get people excited. I'd probably tap into Android, but need to know more about QNX.

(5) Fix the in-fighting at RIM. I'd probably put this first, actually. I don't know if what I read is true... but RIM needs to get their house in order. Truth be told, they probably need to do some serious housecleaning to make this happen. That might mean they need to take some further steps back for the greater good, unfortunately.

As an EX RIM employee from before they hit their 1st million devices and leaving RIM just over 4 years ago now I find it interesting to see how many people still want to turn me to Android or Apple OS devices. They laugh at the fact that I still want to stick with the devices that so many think out of date and behind the times. The thing is no matter how much I look at the competition out there I still can't find a valid reason or a worthy device more importantly that gives me the business and personal functionality I need combined, so moving to another manufacturer is out of the question:

1. Yes the OS is old school but it still has the same solid core feature set I remember from my time there and is very robust and when QNX BB's are released people will flock to move back or give it a go if they don't they are loons. Please get a move on Waterloo.

2. Yes they have only just putprobably the best touch screen onto a qwerty keyboard single slate device. i.e. 9900 for us here in the U.K. that can compete on a level playing field spec wise and quality wise, but wow what a device I have just received mine and it was well worth the wait.

These are only a few reasons why I will stick with the BB devices for years to come and while I may not agree with the strategy i.e. playbook with QNX before BB's with QNX was a bad call but I guess you already know that Mike and Jim. These guys I am confident will put it all right and bring it to the show eh :-) I am really looking forward to seeing QNX on the Colt or 9900 similar devices so stay positive guys and bring it to the show.

Crackberry Addicts Unite

1) Relegate Mike LazarAss to towel distribution in the men's toilet
2) Fire Jim ImbeSilly
3) Release a freaken 4" screen
4) Lose The Torch plastic crapware screen and discontinue RIM's Sure Scratch Technology
5) Obsolete OS7 by Christmas and release QNX so that can become obsolete by Easter.......

1 have a new phone come out ever 2-3months and a refresh of it in a year.
2 QNX super phone that plays flash.
3 Really focus on making every car built in navigation like the play book. That's what QNX is famous for.
4. Make a strong phone like my Olympus camera that i can drop from 5 feet swim 30feet under water and dust/ freeze proof. make it so you can open beer on it to. College kids would all have one if it did that.
5. make it so a blackberry never needs a battery pull. the soft ware works all the time with no crashs or very few. and make the boot time way faster like 30seconds at most
6. Keven as adviser

1. Operating System? Not sure this should be #1, as most folks don't care about it as long as you can do what you want to do. But ... if you are transitioning to QNX, do so sooner rather than later - uncertainty kills sales - and if it is as good as sliced bread, then nail it and get it out there. A 1+ year of kisses and promises isn't good.
2. Don't worry about playing "me too" catching up to the giant screen iPhones and Androids with millions of apps (of which most are useless) - capitalize on what Blackberry does the best, which to me is seamless integration of email, social feeds, SMS, BBM, etc. Work to make it more seamless and easier to have everything interact together. No one does it as well as BB, but they are catching up fast. Make it an ocean between RIM and everyone else. Also make sure that the user can be in control of their own data security better than the other guys. Wrap it all up in a dense thicket of patents.
3. I think having cheap phones that are not cutting edge sells well in the developing world which is the future, and the top end products promote the brand and do well in the developed world. It also gives parents in the developed world choices for kids who want smartphones but don't want to spend $300 with a 2 year commit. I'd keep their market positioning.
4. Sell unlocked or partly locked dual SIM devices for a set MSRP for those people that travel the world and use SIM's in the local countries where you are - right now carriers charge astronomical rates for data and voice for locked phones. If BB is really the businessperson's friend, this would clinch it for international travelers. Especially if Email and BBM would work seamlessly through the phone when you travel into a new country.
5. The Blackberry form factor "iconic" design is the most attractive of the bunch. Not sure how well the other ones with virtual keyboards do for the company - but seems to me to be a "me too" product so I'd consider phasing those out in favor of a radical new method of device input that would make the rest of the input methods look "quaint" and "obsolete."

and 6 ... While it is important to offer the latest and fastest data rates, given the prices carriers charge for the access, data efficiency is the key here - not the speed - after all with the large data rates it takes next to no time to chew right through the data plan and add tons of cost to a bill. If Blackberry saves you data money it will be a good thing.

Here are my top 5 changes for RIM

1. Have all apps be supported on all countries
2. Have some marketing promotions to bring developers back to blackberry, for some reason fart apps are necessary.
3. Most famous Hollywood actors use blackberry, Market with them
4. Forget about the 99xx names and use consumer friendly names Bold 2, Torch 3, Touch Torch
5. Exploit cost savings on using BB over android and iOS because of data compression of network

Maybe add a 6th and sue anyone who tries to have a BBM like feature on their platform. This is BB killer app.

1.Fire the marketing team, hire a new creative team.
2.Improve upon the design of devices
3.Give every top notch hardware into high-end phones
4.An App developer contest , giving the top 100 most popular apps a 100k prize
5.Open retail stores around the globe

1. Improve relationships with developers.
2. Go crazy! License patents to everyone! Kill the physical keyboard! Kill BlackBerry 7! QNX is our future!
3. Improve relationships with other companies like Microsoft. Bundle Zune apps. Reach out to Amazon, B&N, Hulu and other major companies to build apps for the platform.
4. Expand ecosystem! QNX on netbooks, laptops, desktops, and even a set-up box!
5. Focus on end-user experience and design.

There certainly appears to be a lot of people with ideas, however I see a lot of personal requests, and some common themes. I'm going to take a look at this from a business perspective, instead of a frustrated consumer perspective (as much as I can).

1) Marketing:

What is your marketing road map? What customer base are you advertising to (business / consumer)? Where are those consumers going (TV, Web, Magazines), and where are you advertising? Do they align... meaning, are you sending the *right* message to the target customer. If you think you are currently... are you targeting the right consumer then?

My opinion - marketing is a weak point, with lack of message, lack of brand awareness, and lack of brand language. Each advertisement I've seen seems to be an independent take upon a message, no cohesive message strung through advertisement to tie each impression with a customer together to say, "This is BlackBerry, and this is why you need a BlackBerry". Speak with one intention, one voice, proclaim the benefits of BB to the masses.

2) Product Development:

What is your technology road map? When are new devices slated for release? Other manufactures / industries have a cadence. Automobiles debut in the Fall (for the large majority) with special items coming out early January time frame. Setting expectations in your customers mind is a good thing, failure to deliver on those expectations is bad.

My opinion - The problem I see today is vague communications, lack of commitment, and allowing the customer / media to set expectations because of no concise information from RIM. Instead RIM should communicate what is coming, and execute. Easy to say, hard to do... because having a background (10+ years) in product launch I know there are always issues and compromises. This means you have problems in other areas (scope creap in design, testing issues, contract (carrier) constraints, etc. leaving the control not in your hands. Understand what you control, and communicate that commitment to your customers.

3) Direction:

Is RIM providing devices to a business user or a different end consumer. While one device (and OS) might be able to suit both, I see confusion over who RIM is trying to provide a product for.

My opinion - split the company (marketing, sales, carrier negotiations) down these lines. Product development would need to remain the same (scale, SKU reduction, common component architecture advantages there), but take a serious look at testing / internal requirements based upon the end customer. A high schooler, and a CEO have different needs... make sure you are designing, testing, and marketing the product appropriately.

4) OS Development:

Seriously... what's going on with QNX? I can only speculate, which isn't helpful, but it's not going the way the consumer is expecting, and that means it's a failure. Do what needs to be done to complete this ASAP. RIM has only created confusion with the launch of an OS7, and a pending QNX 2.0 update for a Playbook, the non announcement of a new Playbook (10" version), and awaiting a QNX phone. FIx this... I don't know what's the hold up, but something needs to budge here.

5) Learning:

As I saw mentioned by others... require EVERYONE to use other phones. I can't imagine that RIM isn't doing product tear downs of their competitors, that's standard practice. More often this is used only to determine competitors costs / manufacturing costs to see where you are, and what changes you can make. Often times companies fail to test and LEARN about their competitor.

My opinion - Are you testing their products against your testing requirements? Don't just compare based on use, but put their products through your internal tests. Are your testing requirements realistic (or are you holding yourself to standards / expectations that are not needed by the consumer). This is a common failure.. we continually increase our internal expectations of developed product, and fail to remember to remain realistic. What this often causes is detailed attention on some area to drive perfection (battery, radio perhaps), and loss of focus on what's important to the consumer (native email on a Playbook). Test your competitors products against every one of your internal requirements, and take a hard look and where you are spending your time vs. your competitors results to your requirements. If the iPhone "fails" your internal testing, and passes in the consumer eyes, understand and BELIEVE that you need to change your internal expectations. Become aligned to the customer, that's what RIM did at the start... and did better than anyone, and they will be better to get back to that.

Again, I can't possibly know what's going on at RIM, but what I listed are common areas for improvement for companies who do product development. I have no association with RIM, but do have experience in all of these areas. RIM, if you need me.. let me know. ;)

1) License QNX to all the other major manufacturers. With the sale of Motorola to Google, strike while the iron's hot.

2) Offer 100% commission to 3rd party developers. Make up the difference from what RIM would normally keep in hardware sales.

3) Release one Android model to fill the void prior to the introduction of QNX handsets next spring or summer.

4) Offer the PlayBook for half price plus extended warranty to anyone registered with a BlackBerry ID.

5) Sell to Microsoft. Merge the best of the two mobile operating systems.

And finally, ask CrackBerry to revamp their comments system to include "Newest" and "Highest Rated" so RIM's management doesn't need to sift through - or abandon - everyone's great suggestions to find the latest ones. :)

1. FORCE At&T to release the Bold 9900

2. Eliminate all traces of the Blackberry Style and Torch (awful form factors)

3. Add Crackberry Kevin to the RIM team!

4. Market Blackberry products more

5. Stick to what RIM is known for. Forget about trying to keep up with the competition (tablets, full touchscreens)

1) Invest money in designing sleek and beautiful devices.
The 9500, even with a horrendous touchscreen was beautiful and unique, anyone notice it in the WP7 ads? Oh the storm.
2) Work a deal with Google to natively run the Android Market, some developers couldn't be bothered porting, especially for a what? $300 fee?
3) Do what everyone else is doing, and push modern technologies.. What do I mean? RIM builds phones to beat the current line by a mile, but while they build, test and develop, the competition goes two miles! Look ahead!
4) Agree with people at Skype, Netflix, etc. To have RIM build apps for them.. The Facebook app is made by RIM.
5) Reduce business focus; there are more people working at a shoe store who want a beautiful and functional device than business-oriented who care about nothing but security. I never bothered with security on a phone! Please, rival companies wouldn't try that because their afraid of the NotW effect, you saw what happened. Keep existing securities, but invest in new types of ideas for the platform.

1) Start with more partnerships with other companies .... this gives you an edge on the market and also will help with advertising when you get ready to launch product. BB device with Beats by Dre speakers/earbuds included ... Does that sound appealing?
2) Please keep the physical qwertyboard but better than that keep it at the current size, it's friggin' wonderful!!!! So, one full touchscreen model, one bold, one curve, and flip/slider (style/9810) .... that seems to be all BB should focus on, 4 form factors.
3) Everyone's talking camera's but I'm not impressed with this "my MP number is bigger than yours, nana nana boo boo" crap. Yes RIM should be slapped for not putting a front facing cam on at least the bold & torches ......., but I think I understand why. And I think I have the solution. Keep all cameras 5MP. Show these morons It's more about the lens. Can yall partner up with someone like Sony partnered up with Carl Zeiss ..... old sony phones were getting GREAT crisp clear detail oriented shots from 3MP cams that once put on pc look just like the Android's pics from their 8MP cameras. And while we on the subject of partnership ..... and yes someone else posted it before ..... AMD/ATI ...... if you cant make your own processors at least go with the best!!!!!
4) Okay, so I think like every company RIM is just bubbling over with "good ideas", but if they don't all flow together on a unified path then it's a waste of time. Soooooo, why don't RIM buy WebOS ....... but store it somewhere other than RIM headquarters. Keep the name (plenty of WebOS users still out there) hire back half old WebOS employees and half RIM laid-off employees, just transform it to be integrated with app world, do a form factor of 3 (full touchscreen, qwerty, flip with qwerty).
5) And last, but CERTAINLY not least .... we need to step the app game up. I've read others' reviews and it seems a daunting task at best .... but we, I mean RIM can do it. I have no clue of what the ACTUAL problem is, but if RIM DOES have dedicated developers that can't even get a full array of CURRENT phones to test out their apps in development .... then something is seriously wrong with this business model .... seriously wrong So i'm just gonna say, give the app developer whatever tools they need to deliver optimal apps and in turn incentives should be given for # of downloads (sort of like the recording industry 500,000=gold, 1,000,000=platimum, 10,000,000=diamond) any comments? I don't know much about the relationship between developers and RIM but I can tell there isn't much of one .... so I hope this devcon initiative gets the ball rolling.

In no particular order:
1. Hardware
- Tighten the number of devices available and advertise them with names. For instance Bold, Curve, Torch 1.2.3.
- Ensure every device has a beautiful hardware design
- All devices must be touch enabled
- Put a proper displays. 16M colors. Great resolution. AMOLED or whatever.
- Put a GPU with OpenGL.
- Fix the screen resolution for the 3 devices and keep it that way for some time.
- Put more memory (RAM/STORAGE)
- Present a number of hardware extensions which the developers can utilize fully.
2. Software
- Every standard app (and home screen) must be perfect. In UI, Usability and Functionality. Leverage to the hardware to make them great.
- Make software support at least the previous 1-2 year phones. Its not acceptable to stuck with old version just because I happen to purchase the previous year model.
- Put that cloud up there. All new versions of the OS must be delivered and installed without a need of a computer. The apps should be delivered on new phones automatically. Put a cloud backup. I would go even further - put the app storage in the cloud seamlessly - when I save something it automatically goes to the cloud.
- Put music and videos up there. Put a possibility to just a plug your device to a tv/stereo and enjoy. Maybe some USB to HDMI will be great.
3. Development
- Make the development of an app really easy. Not it is a constant fight with the platform and hardware diversity to make the app available on most phones.
- QNX is a nice step forward. Not necessary, but I think the native apps have a far more better then the current Java solution.
- Do not restart on upgrade an app.
- Offer a wide variety of languages available for development. There is no reason most current languages to run on a mobile phone.
- Make publishing really easy and fast. Its not acceptable to wait more then a week to approve my apps.
- Advance the App World. Its pretty basic and basically ugly now.
- Impregnate a culture of delivering gorgeous apps. Now 99% of all apps available are really ugly. Maybe offer a design awards or whatever.
4. Marketing
- Put a one man CEO with a clear vision and passion.
- Advertise and make a great conference. Most new stuff should be announced and ready for this event. Once a year.
- All new stuff should be first shown by the CEO. Just put him/her up there to show off the great stuff which RIM produces.
- Put the BB strengths in front of the world to know. Security, Always connected, Multiple apps same time, Realtime notifications, whatever.
- Make the top apps from other platforms available for BB. Even work with the developers to make apps for BB platform first.
- Advertise
5. Misc
- I really would like to see the design of BB hardware and software being great. As the iPhone users are proud to take out and show their devices, the BB owners must be proud too.
- Advance in usage patterns of a BB. It should not be only email or messaging. Put some lifestyle apps in there - for payment, for health, for being just better. The more stuff you do with your phone the better.
- Don't follow the competition, let them follow you.

And in conclusion: Every company can become great. RIM what is stopping you?

PS: I hope my english is not that bad and you will be able to read my thoughts.

#1 Make a Blackberry running Android. Let it be a qwerty-phone BUT make sure BBM's on it.

#2 Make it costumizable WITHOUT voiding warenty, like nokia did a long time ago. Or like the samsung corby phones.

#3 Experiment with different hardware. For example, Let Samsung make it. Just for one device, and see what happens. BUT KEEP the bb keyboard

#4 Unite with HTC, Samsung etc. KILL APPLE

#5 Support Crackberry.com with money. They're doing a great job. Info, products etc. This is the place to go to for every blackberry user.

I'm wondering if this hasn't been said before...
No. 1 and most important: drop BIS, or make it free and the connectivity hassle free. The BIS registration, un-registration, lock, unavailability to use it abroad normally with a pre-paid card, not being able to use neither WiFi if BIS is not registered etc. is a nightmare.
Or keep BIS as an email and chat channel (service), but make it available without the need of any special plan but rather through simple data plan.

1) Built up you own arsenal of patents to ward off attacks from bigger companies, buy, beg, invent or steal, obviously the legal system doesn't care as long as u own them.

2) Invest/partnership with software and hardware companies, no one is powerful enough to do everything on their own.

3) Offer fantastic profit sharing ratio to developers, give them free tools and perks. Cover 50% of the cost of apps for users, to be competitive with other app stores.

4) Lose the advertising and marketing expenses and focus on development and innovation and bring down cost. A fantastic product is enough marketing on its own.

5) Last but not least, hire the team at CD as your consultants. but most importantly, listen to your fans and customers, especially to the commenters of this article.

1. Make BlackBerry/BBM the gateway to bridge to multiple cross platform products. For example, linking Google talk, FB chat, etc all into my BBM.
2. Spend some money on good hardware. It doesn't have to be cutting edge in all specs, just stop recycling parts so much.
3. Focus more on the user experience. Even though BB prides itself on security, that doesn't mean that everything has to look like pure crappy text.
4. Market the advantages BB has, along with a premium feel and fluid user experience. Market it hard.
5. Stop giving into carriers demands so much. Make OS updates available through BB, not thru carriers.

I probably have some better ideas, but this will do for now...too fatigued lol

1. Fire everyone in the marketing department.

2. Give Apple Marketing department employees ANYTHING they want to come work for RIM.

3. Go through back channels and see how much Microsoft would want to buy RIM for. I have no faith in RIM's management to turn it around and MS is the only company I could stomach buying RIM.

Nobody posting here will ever know how to run a company with over twenty billion in revenue.

#1: I'd start working on the BB Wireless Network. The providers now are to restrictive and charge to much. RIM builds phones and then the networks block portions of the phones capabilities. By building the BB wireless network the consumer would be able to take full advantage of the technology built into RIM devices.

#2: Devices on the BB wireless network would only be available through RIMs website. There would be no contracts, no special prices just the MSRP. The consumer would be able to upgrade their device whenever they felt like it. There would only be 2 models available. The traditional BB with the keypad and an all touch screen. A new model for each would come out once a year. One model in January & the other in July.

#3: Continue developing phones for the current markets and providers.

#4: Listen to people that are smarter than me or who have knowledge in specific areas. Communicate back and forth to come up with the best possible products that make the company profitable for our investors & future endeavors.

#5: Look to the future. R&D. What technology changes are coming? How can these benefit our products & company? Think outside the box.

FOCUS ALL EFFORTS ON DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING FOR:
QNX Playbook - 2 variations (current and slightly larger)
QNX Superphone - 2 variations (full touch and keypad)
Thats it!! nothing more, nothing less!
Re-invent the mobile communications industry again and help people forget apple and android exist! (while still incorporating the android app player of course lol)

From me, what should I do when running RIM are:
1. Concentrate more to Asian market (more likely in South East Asian market), since the growth of BB users are still growing rapidly there.
2. Launch special BB devices for Asian market, such as: BBM only devices. Such BBM feature is very popular in Asian market. Hopefully, RIM can launch for < $99 to tap for wider segment users in the market.
3. To develop & release cross platform BBM (like what Samsung has done in their Chat ON services) so other O/S (IOS, Android, Java) can enjoy BBM services as well. Off course with stripped down feature.
4. Launching 4G (either Wimax, LTE, HSPA+, EVDO Rev A) Playbook with bigger screen & avoiding to launch current version of WiFi Playbook.
5. Launching Dongle BB devices, such as: USB modem (3G/4G) with Windows/Mac platform BBM version. This is to tap people who can't get away with their laptop/netbook.

There is just one thing that I would like to do. I believe rim has too many series of phones. In my opinion I feel that although having many blackberry form factors to choose from may be a good thing, I think it actually hurts rim. Due to the fact that a lot of the phones are behind todays technology, I think it numbs or gives its users a disinterest in blackberrys. Lesser quality phones like curves and pearls may have turned off current users after seeing what the latest phones are doing today. It makes sense that a user of these form factors would get bored and want to move on to droid/iphone platforms. It seems only bold and torch users seem to stay true and loyal to bb and look fwd to new bb's or superphones. I would narrow the line of series to 3 form factors, all with the same capabilities as far as ram mem processor cam etc. I woul do away with gsm/cdma codes (which confuse most users) and use only touch/keyboard, all touch and touch/slide form factors. I believe this will help rim keep the casual bb user and funnel them down the road to look fwd to new upgraded phones to come.

1) Get rid of the dual-CEO Organization.... Clear responsibilities should make the company move faster and more flexible
2) Understand your markets (Consumer and Enterprise) and focus your marketing accordingly. example: Selling the PB as enterprise tablet at Worst Buy will probably not work, but marketing it as a fast Internet/Play-thing to Consumers might make it a bestseller
3) Understand the End User in the Enterprise market... Bring the promised work-life tool (forgot the official name, sorry) and allow me to use my BB the way I want for mypersonal stuff, not the way my company dictates me to use it.
4) underpromise and overdeliver on new products, not vice versa
5) Market your strengths and create some "wow" factor

Outside this "competition":
- spellcheck and arrowbars for my PB so I don't need to retype every sentence 5 times...

1) More Apps (easy android porting options)
2) Better advertising
3) QNX ready and able (with EMAIL AND BBM SUPPORT)
4) Limited functionality BBM apps for android and iOS
5) MORE APPS. (seriously this is quite possibly the most important point.)

1. Reduce models to 2, a high end Bold and an entry level Curve. Never compromise on the hardware (memory, camera, etc.) on the high end Bold again.
2. Make all out efforts to get developers on-board for quality applications. Create a special task force to have as their mission to bring the most-wanted/premier apps, like Netflix.
3. Reduce CEO's to 1.
4. Get rid of the conservative corporate culture at RIM that seems to stifle or silence innovation. From the letters that were leaked to BGR earlier this year, it's obvious innovation is frowned upon. It should be encouraged and rewarded.

1.) Release QNX devices in Fall '11. ^^
2.) Release PlayBook software 2.0, then release a new BlackBerry PlayBook....but hope to god it doesn't fail in the marketing scene again. Basically, I wouldn't release a half-baked product. No matter how sexy it is...
3.) Kevin as the CEO of RIM. And B1aze. They'd really help RIM.
4.) Release a special addition of the BlackBerry Bold. By "special", I meant make it turn into a freakin' transformer. :D
5.) Acquire more patents & make Steve Jobs my b*tch.

I win...sort of.

I would

1) Get QNX smartphones NOW! This relates to the following points
2) Get gadget developers to make docks, remotes, automated houses, cameras with BT technologies, etc etc make them work for BB, even stimulate them financially (for example, the Contour cameras that use iOS devices and Android devices as a viewfinder via BT, but NOT Blackberry)
3) Get key apps like Skype, Google Docs, Garmin or Tom Tom gps apps and similar (No, I'm not talking about Angry something...) To be ported to QNX, again, even offer them some financial incentive.

Of course, for points 2 and 3 to be reasonable (ie, the developers wouldn't like to develop things twice for two OS), adoption of QNX as the unifed and only RIM/Blackberry OS is paramount.

4) Get QNX integration to cars (already going there), tvs, computers, music equipment, etc etc ASAP!

5) Maybe offer basic BES functionality to other platforms, but reinforce mayor functionality of BIS/BES to BB owners and keep BBM, BB travel, so on and BBM apps/social integration exclusively to us!!!!!

My two cents

1. Make a heavy skin version of blackberry-android and release it through a update on a all os7 phones with a touch screen
1. B-buy out palm and release webos blackberry experience
2. Listen to customer wants and needs
3. Make names like the Bold 3 Torch 2 Curve 4
4. Increase app development make more games, more productivity apps, and get app developers from Android and iOS to come to blackberry by giving them incentives.
5. Launch a all out RIMPIRE campaign promoting blackberry pride and bashing Apple, Symbian, and Android (if they dont make a android skin)

Just my thoughts (15yo Boost Mobile 8530 user d: )

1) Make a deal with the candian government to make bb's mandatory for citizenship
2) Open blackberry kiosks/stores
3) Marketing and ad blitz until people believe they can't live without a bb
4) Build a better more cometative api for developers
5) Make the qnx os the new pc for future generations by making everything run on it - android player is a good start, how about windows emulation too

1. App incentives for developers (and not the cutesy apps... only productivity ones)
2. Don't worry about making the phone thin. Instead, make it rugged, big-long-life battery, and respectable camera before considering phone size.

THESE ARE THE ONES THAT COUNT!

1) Create 10 websites that preach nothing but positive stuff about RIM and Blackberrys, and get people to tell you all the neat things that you can do with your Blackberrys.

2) 100 prizes of $100,000 each for the developers that create the best and most popular apps.

3) Continue to make AWESOME phones like the BOLD 9900, but keep improving on them as well.

4) Listen to what the consumer has to say, and pay attention to what the consumer wants.

5) Make a phone with a spin wheel on the back. Place your finger inside. Spin in a clockwise manner for 1 minute. Your battery is now fully charged.

1) Fire anyone over the age of 45. Not legal, obviously, but the point is to try to eliminate anyone with old, outdated, and obsolete thinking. It's 2011 - not 1986.

2) Reduce the number of phones that come out to no more than two per year. Right now, it seems that you have 9800, 9801, 9802, 9803, 9804, 9805, 9806, 9807 and the list of numbers just goes on and on and on and on. Enough already. Each of these phones have different specs, capabilities, OS capabilities and so forth which causes application development to be a royal pain in the behind given the tremendous amount of variation there are in BB phones. By focusing on only two models of phones, application development can be streamlined as they dont need to code for a 1000 different phone models out there.

3) Ban the use of words/phrase "sometime", "somewhere", "in 60 days", "during the summer, something will get released", "just wait, it will be really good", "in the future, this will be good". Instead, provide a clear road map to customers and share holders as to what is going on.

4) Destroy RIM's mantra of "dont worry, we promise it will be really good when it comes out" - this thinking is what led to the Playbook being the disaster that it is with reviewers laughing at it and consumers shaking their heads at the fact that even the most basic of features is, and still is, missing from a professional tablet.

5) Ensure that products are completed before being delivered.

6) Use truthful adveritsing instead of misleading, half-truths as was done with the Playbook.

7) Keep promises and if said promises are not kept, fire the people behind the project.

8) Every phone going forward must have a video camera in the front of the phone and BBM for the phones being able to do video chat and other chat apps being able to do video chat across platforms.

9) Allow BBM to be able to send files larger than 6 megs - welcome to the year 2012 RIM :)

1). Donate 100 playbooks to the 5 largest highschools in each province... For the students to use in classroom. My daughters high school just purchased 50 iPads for classroom use ... Let's replace those with Playbooks !!! Kids think they are cool sales WILL increase !!!

2). Make the 'tclose' menu option actually close the app ... Not just go to previous screen

3). Focus on Apps. Need more fun apps to compete in consumer market place.

4). Reduce # of different BBs. Focus on select phones. I'd say the Curve (cheap for students), Bold, Torch with keyboard and full touch screen Torch

5). Be 'innovative' and 'creative' again with tech no one else has. Be first to market .... Not trying to play catch up all the time.

1. Reduce the number of models to 2 or 3 max. I like the flexibility RIM offers vs. Apple but they've done well to keep it simple - there are just too many models.
2. Pick a screen size and stick with it - Apple's done well for application developers in their consistent screen sizes. I don't develop apps but I would think it's gotta be frustrating to have to fiddle with app layouts for all the different resolutions.
3. Focus and improve on where they excel - business.

I LOL'd at at picture. Especially Kevin's face!

My list in no particular order:

* Advertise outside Canada and the US. I've never seen a BB ad in Australia except on a tram in Melbourne a few times. In contrast, Apple ads all over TV and all over train stations.

* Sack one or both CEOs and appoint one leader. It's a bit silly isn't it? Surely one man (or woman) can do the job? Do NOT do personal interviews or one on ones with media. You should have a media liaison or product manager who does that and is trained up on the products and how to sell them.

* Simplify the product lines. 3, maybe 4 phones. Full touch, Touch with keyboard (9900), Slider and cheaper model (Curve) for teens and emerging markets. Simplify branding and numbering conventions. iPhone1, 2, 3 is easy. Trying to remember 370 4 digit numbers and a model name isn't.

* Playbook OS2 working like a boss. Email and whatever else people have been whinging about to shut them up.

* Work with developers. Things like Skype and other VOIP products are a must. Last.fm audio scrobbler please. Hire them. Tempt them. Provide free training seminars or incentives to develop native BB apps (preferably) or port over existing Android apps (not preferred but a good stop-gap measure).

Honourable mention:

* Aaaand someone else said lose EDOF cameras on phones. Yes. Or at least have 2. One for video and one for quality photographs.

I think they're already doing a lot right. They have just become a scape goat because they aren't apple and analysts insit on measuring them against apple. Apple really made a weakness into and advantage with the appification of the internet, and RIM is still playing catchup. But RIM's focus was more on the corporate users and they're still strong there. They are already working hard to ensure that BES stays relevant. As Smart phones have exploded among personal users, this is where they have been weak. My bold 9900 is an excellent phone in terms of build quality and messaging capability and reliability, but it struggles as a personal entertainment device, which is really the iPhones strength. But we know that RIM is already working on a QNX superphone which would bring android apps into play and bridge the gap.

They misjudged the market and missed the boat. But they still have they're corporate base, they have a plan plug gaps for personal users, so what's the big deal? I would suggest that they need to become more competitive in their corporat culture and strive to innovate and lead, but that's it - who knows what change is already rolling there.

The world has to stop getting sucked into this sensational and reactionary media circus. What is so bad about having 2 CEO's? I think there is enough change happening there right now, without cutting RIMs head off to boot. I look forward to what they will deliver, and hope that they will grow to be respected in their own right once more.

Really only one thing needs to be done: fire the Vice President for Enforcing the Cone of Silence. I know, it is tough to fire someone who has been doing an excellent job living up to the title, and no doubt gets a hefty annual bonus for job performance. But the job needs to be eliminated.

Especially in the developer community, hardly a day goes by that we don't read yet another posting of someone begging, pleading, for information from inside the walls of RIM and getting no response whatsoever. On any number of topics, the VPFETCOS demonstrates how well he or she is performing. You can send email, you can post in various forums, you can try to call, and you will be met with silence. The cone is very effective in preventing any form of useful response getting back to you.

And when it comes to RIM producing useful information in anticipation of developer needs, the cone of silence is equally effective. Just one of many examples: we were all told several weeks back to produce a graphic of a particular size, called a "featured" graphic. The dimensions of the graphic are so huge as to be impractical for display on any device we might have, even large screen desktop monitors. So it obviously will have to be scaled in some way. No amount of begging would produce any details on how it would be used, what should be in it, or why we couldn't supply a more reasonably sized graphic that would not be subjected to some unspecified scaling yielding potentially ugly results. The cone of silence was lifted just enough to issue the dictate: "you will do this" but then closed up to make sure no explanation of why would be made available.

About a year ago, I had a personal experience with the cone of silence, this time trying to contact a real or even imaginary person inside the RIM fortress. I had an issue with one of RIM's websites, that had charged my credit card repeatedly but not delivered the promised goods (it was back in the days when we had to purchase license keys). My issue was not with an end user product, or even a developer product per se, but rather with the web site that bungled a financial transaction. I tried everything I could to get contact; the phone system, email, and so on. There was a specific webmaster email account that was listed as being available for such issues, but any attempt to send email was instantly and automatically rejected with an automated response scolding me for not going through proper support channels. The phone system was equally obtuse. The automated system refused to let me contact anyone real. It insisted that I either had to have an open support ticket (as this was a new issue, that was not the case), or else purchase the privilege of opening a new support ticket. There is a long, detailed, version of this story available, but the short version is: RIM's automated voice and email systems pro-actively rebuffed any attempt to make contact from the outside world. The cone of silence was preventing not just useful information from getting out, but valid concerns from getting in.

RIM doesn't need to let their secrets out; but they do need to understand when outsiders have a legitimate need for information, and to know that their needs are being heard.

Fire the VPFETCOS, and let the flow of information begin.

1 - make sure there is a great work environment for all employees. Let it be known that if you have an idea it can be voiced without concern.
2 - clearly apps matter to everyone so come up with a strategy for them to come on board. Everyone loves money. Spend a bit now and reap the benefits of it later.
3 - utilize CrackBerry. Kevin has been given a spot at dev con so this seems to be already happening to an extent.
4 - get an actual marketing team. The one that's in place right now is next to useless.
5 -build the brand. Other companies have done this. It makes people lust after their products. This ties back into the point about marketing. As for anything marketing should be as good if not better then what its trying to sell.

In no particular order....

1. Change advertizing: I like the idea of creating an assortment of adds that educate about the BlackBerry rather than adds that try to sell the Blackberry. Sponsor the hell out of NHL, especially during playoffs :)

2. Make the BlackBerry STFU soon!: Right now I think RIM is in the position to create a device that competition can not match. Put in the type of hardware that other platforms may not be able to utilize, and push the bar! Create a phone with beefy hardware that runs an econo mode shutting down cores for example, when the processing power is not needed.

3. Apps, love them or hate them, they need to be there. Pay the big boys to develop for you.

4. Blackberry Lotto: No sure which direction to go with this, but all blackberry owners are part of a daily/weekly/monthly lotto for some kind of prize. App Wolrd credits, Devices, Trips, ect.

5. Continue to lead world wide: Keep focus on the world market, so that when this transition is completed, RIM can move forward as the market leader and not have to fight the fight they are in the North American Media.

1. Better apps. Bb apps SUUCK
2. Custom panels rather than the ones given.
3. Better apps.
4. Eliminate bbm. Useless platform, when there are cross-platform instant messaging apps.
5. Better apps!!!!!
6. Better apps!!!!!
7. Better apps!!!!!

1) Streamline models into the Bold, Torch, Curve and Style models
2) Get that liquid lens camera focusing technology incorporated into all models
3) Ensure android developers can EASILY port their apps to App World
4) Continue 10" Playbook development but for a later release
5) Look into the possibility of giving iOS developers a way of porting their apps to App World
6) Talk to microsoft about helping with the silverlight capability in the Browser in exchange of using Bing more with the BB phones and the Playbook
7) Release a new iteration of every high-end model every 18 months and every low-end model every 2 years

Specifics:
8) Take notes from Android's Marketplace and design App World better
9) Make BBM Music a 1$ per month add-on, not 5
10) Continue selling blackberry phones in the largest amount of countries as possible
11) Release timely Playbook updates, like every 2-3 months, but at a designated time
12) Introduce a small Front facing camera (VGA resolution) on all phones
13) Release video chat in BBM

...and create special edition Torches which have the processors, more RAM!

1.Release new products in China first, at least don't after one year or two years later.
2.Advertising
3. Don't give up Playbook and make more models of playbook.
4.Ehance the company's execution capability. Change the compaly's "slow" motion culture.
5.Use ervery mthod to encourage applicatoin developers.

Well I got the 2nd/3rd page so this should go unnoticed. Anyways, what are 5 things I would do... hmm, well I'll explain in a priority first manner.

Prty 1) It's to late to scatter all my resources in every category to keep up with my major competitors. So I would suggest we put atleast 25-50% of it towards my prime priority, which I believe is unity. I believe the best way to get people to fall in love with something, is to unify your closet to you.
What I'd start with is making extremely good deals with collages & study book companies (also making it purchaseable there to).
Making my products free to all students & staff, but with a contract to whatever carrier (who wants in) the collage chooses (carriers give monthly discounts to collages they support). Students would have to sign a contract for however many years they'd like or attend school, but would be required to pay any damage/lost fees & monthly charges, unless refurbishable. The same goes for collage staffing. Then I'd make text/study books purchaseable via devices, at great optionale prices!
Now depending on the school rules, collages would have guidance control of these devices. Teachers can set their students devices to react or block certain services doing class, along with the collages choice of control (remember like parent control, you could have these be set to block at certain times).

Prty 2) I would focus my attention to retail consumer side. What I mean is to try and give retailers lessons on how to sell and keep watch of them (secret shoppers).
I would need to make sure I had my consumers to recognize us as a positive solution (mainly make sure salesman don't try to compare us to make a sale), but mainly just recognize us. I believe even Microsoft is doing this as I type.
Another thing is to fix my advertising, to change into basic knowledgeable info of our greatest strengths (aslo stop the comparing, last thing I want is to let others compare us). Most I've seen are long, simple, & boring. Others are interesting but really complicated even to understand the real meaning.
Some ex. would be that commercial; Bold 9780: Horseman, long, simple, but doesn't different us from the competition. Let alone show why you'd want to buy our product. Another would be; Bold 9900: Harmony, knowledgeable, appealing, but a little to advance for our none tech savvy customers. I mean most don't even have a BB now, let alone know the major difference if you pop up with a commercial that shows a new version of a phone, that looks like it does the same thing that you would expect a modern smartphone to do (I think only our current un-tech savvy guests would see the new features).
Most people are just not that tech knowledgeable. So my guess when they see this, they see another or same (maybe business/boring)BB phone.

Prty 3) Now I'd try to get all the major 3rd party vendors I could if everything goes according to plan, & mainly get the top ones in their category first. For ex.; Netflix for movie streaming, Skype for socializing, (a type of game stream service), & etc...
Mostlikely making purchases it even with no money adventages for us, but with no losses. That way, we can have a stable ecosystem with cheap or even free apps (meaning we don't give any extra charges to developers but what would balance our financial/investment costs).

Prty 4) Next we'd try to gain the most advance unifying technology available. Such as: bluetooth, NFC, wifi, ports, apps, & data connections.
I'd try my best to find all the major systems used around the world, to be developed to work seamlessly with my devices. The best data/wifi connections, so we can get the best speeds while working great being in far away/deadspots. I want the highest bluetooth (search up Bluetooth 4.0, if that's still the newest) tech with NFC built in, that way we can connect wirelessly, without wifi better then anyone else. Having some extra port option is also a plus, atleast until the would becomes more wireless.

Prty 5) Integration would be my final 5th step. I'd like all my services being integrated with all the most loved services. Just like you can go pretty much everywere with a Facebook option or share, I'd like our services there.
I'd love for you to be on Facebook, while having the option to see if they've read your message & have groups for BBM! Streaming Pandora/Netflix or a game, while having BBM/BBM Music/etc there at my side. Even possibly (must always be live) broadcast my video/audio/streaming services/etc for everyone to watch/listen.
It wouldn't be to bad to have BB services on other devices with advertisement or having a type of fee as well.

Well maybe not exactly in that order, but you get the idea. I could explain why or why I didn't choose some others things first, but those are my top priorities.
Anyways, what do you think of those ideas Kavin... hmm?
P.S. Some others I'd like as well, but we know they're being done, or available soon.

EDIT NOTES: Gave added content to my; Priority 2: commercial strategy, & Priority 5: streaming services.

1. Advertisement, with 3 of the 4 major carriers in the US now having tiered data or capping speeds why is it that RIM never exploits the advantage that BB's use less data? I have only seen it used in ONE PLACE, WalMart.com for phones. Really, this should be in print and internet ads. This is but one example of RIM's poor and non-existent use of advertising.

2. Two divisions, one for mid to large companies with a phone(s) for these clients and one for division for the small business and consumer market with phones for these. Now this does not mean many different models. For example the Bold can be sold across both divisions but market the phone to appeal to the different segments. The Torch 9810 again to both groups, and the 9850/9860, Curve, and yes the Style 9630 for consumers, That is 5 phones, and in reality you could eliminate one of them (probably the 9810 or Curve if you can get carriers to sell the 9810 for $50.00 on contract like AT&T) Try both on more than one carrier and see which sells the best and either eliminate one or do not update the slowest seller as often. One model for the iPhone is okay (but they would sell better with more options) but not a zillion like Android.

3. Apps, do something to get more high profile quality Apps for both phones and PlayBook. Pay for the development if you must but please do something. Also make sure there is more than one choice, for example and ESPN/SI app is fine but you should also have one for Fox sports, and Sporting News. Point being we don't need 100 sports apps but a few good ones. This is true for any type of apps.

4. Get products out on time and complete, I mean really. QNX phone is supposed to be out in the first quarter of 2012, but few expect it before 3rd or 4th quarter of 2012. Delays sometimes happen, but RIM has got to start delivering products on time and more consistently. If this means reducing the number of products temporarily fine, but announcing a product with no date or with a date and not releasing it is unacceptable. Also, they should be very much complete, now when things are tested in house and then released problems happen and that is to be expected, but look at the PlayBook, no native PIM, calendar, or email? Then to be beyond the time for these to be released, I know summer is not technically over but most people consider summer over when September begins.

5. Management and operations, sorry but dual CEO's have got to go. It was nice when it worked, but it hasn't for a while. I am not saying fire them, but move them to positions that they are better suited for. Also revamp management, RIM is in desperate need of an overhaul and shake up. Also the idea of having developers, R&D, and engineers use competing products is a good idea and also getting real people in focus groups for feed back. Reinvent the company and make it leaner, more flexible, and quicker.

Rambled long enough, sorry.

1) Hardware:
- Dual/Triple/Quad Core the crap out of every device. I don't want to experience an hour glass.
- Front Facing Camera
- 1GB minimum RAM
- 8GB minimum Application Space. This will get development going.

2) TAT: Work them in to everything

3) Management: Head hunt to refocus the culture

4) Marketing: Develop a buzz for new devices like other companies
- Verizon - Droid
- Apple - everything

5) Take ownership of :
- Device Support
- Global Pricing
- Removing Carrier Branding (however Lock the device and allow carrier pushed content)
- OTA/Tethered OS Updates from RIM not carriers

My last point of taking ownership is directed at the amount of effort RIM current puts in to making carriers happy. When a new iPhone, Android or WM7 devices comes out, the retail carrier stores are quick to knock the Blackberry brand and sell the user a device from one of the other three groups.

1. Cut down on the number of phone models to 3. The Blackberry line has been stretched too thin. Offer both CDMA and GSM.

2. Update the customer support to REAL customer support. Offer official website that educate the consumer and promote peer to peer support as well as discussion and not limit to twitter, facebook, etc.

3. Advertise more. Show off capabilities of the Playbook in the workplace...in school...at home. Show the value of having secure phones and the new upcoming QNX OS'es. Promote business cool...social savvy for business.

4. Hire Smart. Scour the schools for the best and brightest programmers and developers. Give them incentives to produce and come up with ideas that are out of the box.. Hire from competitors if need be..

5. Provide a new work environment for employees. Make RIM a place where people want to come and work. But hold accountable the ones that fall behind/fail to deliver.

The technology is important, certainly, so keeping on the push for superior security, email, and "normal" BlackBerry functionality is important.

However: My top 5:

1) Most importantly: Market the BlackBerry echosphere as the status symbol it deserves to be: (Perhaps the high-end devices such as 9900 or new 9810's at least). It's unique, so is the individual carrying it. it's not a clone of every other toy phone out there and there's only one place to get them. Diamonds have the same characteristics: It's just a chunk of carbon without the "Diamonds are Forever" marketing campaign. BBM is a big step in the right direction already.

2) the HP Tablet fiasco proved one major thing: The public will queue up to buy substandard, end of life, non supported devices if the price is right. So - Price the valuable QNX based PlayBook so attractively that it becomes the choice for those seeking a quality product which is not a me too iPad. (I am still shaking my head that people are buying a dead product with no warranty and no returns and no hope of life after this month)

3) get developers involved early and often with whatever plans are out there. Get the Social Media involved. Blog about it. Don't be so secretive! We hear months and months in advance of completely rumoured versions of Android or IOS and people are salivating over it. Somehow the Marketing/Sales folks at RIM need to step it up to generate the same buzz.

4) Don't worry about the CEO's - they're doing the best THEY can. They've got to hire the right Sales and Marketing teams and let 'em loose - enthusiastic, creative, passionate and brave.

5) Listen to the likes of Crackberry.com and Berryreview.com - they're very much on your side and can provide fertile fields of commentary and advice (if you ignore the jealous trolls from droidville or appletown).

Good luck, RIM. My retirement plan has you firmly dead center in the middle of it.

--TTune

they have sooo much money just throw money at developers fast! #1

- no more releasing a phone then months later that's exactly the same with only internal upgrades. Do it right the first time
- Apps Apps Apps Skype Netflix Hulu etc
- Qnx based phones
- 100% completed software releases with devices
- No more single core anything Dual Core for all products
- more on board memory and bigger memory card(4th or higher no more 2gb)
- better materials. Such as how the 9900/30 is built with metal instead of plastic like the 9000 but across all phones

1. 10" Playbook - $399 for Christmas - Market the crap out of it.
2. Lower the 7" to $299 - $100 less if you buy a Blackberry also
3. Mail and Android Player for the Playbook - pronto
4. Simplify the phones when QNX comes. One model with no keyboard, one with.
5. Get someone to make a killer nav app.

1. catch up to others, on like everything hardware
2. make advancements to get ahead
3. media, music and video
4. add devise to the current blackberry line up announced in 2011 (like 14, including a 10" tablet, and an update to the pearl and style)
5. advertise, the good devises and the os

i also think that they need to work on apps but i think that if they do this that will be easier to do. all of these are important but the most important would be

to keep the mature look that blackberry os and devises have, which is the main reason i like blackberry

1. Demand AT&T release the 9900.
2. Demand AT&T allow Wifi hotspot
3-5 See 1 and 2 above

1. Hire Kevin as the Amassador and put him on the board of directors.
The reasoning behind this is simple. Kevin has as good of a relationship with the consumers as you can get, and a very sound understanding as to what it is that BlackBerry needs.

2. Hire the best of the best developers to make exclusive apps for the BlackBerry echosystem- BB7 and QNX have a lot to offer to current and future consumers.

3. Fully customizable BlackBerry creation for the consumer.
The idea that RIM should not make more than one phone is absurd UNLESS they allow us to pick and choose the processor, form factor, cameras, operating system, touch screen type, and keyboard. Let US create and truly personalize our phones from an expansive variety of top tier technology.

4. Marketing needs to be on par with the best or better. With a true belief in the products, I would not be satisfied with anything but the best that money can provide in this field. Good marketing could sell a crappy product. Imagine what great marketing could do for an excellent product.

5. Hire the right team to create the BEST products on the market. Not just the best BlackBerry.

1. Make sure the new QNX phones are excellent software AND hardware-wise before release. Any bugs or poor build quality are going add to the "RIM is behind again" perception. A QNX phone has to be solid in all ways.

2. Utilize TAT so that the QNX UI is easy for the average consumer to use. I like the OS7 UI, but consumers don't respond to it. Make sure QNX gets the consumers' attention.

3. Get an email/contact/calendar client out for the PlayBook ASAP.

4. App development needs to skyrocket. Give developers everything they need so they'll want to build quality apps. Cater to them like no one else does.

5. The first QNX phones need to have top specs, hardware-wise. While I don't think RIM needs to get lost in a hardware war with Android phones, the first QNX phone needs to show RIM can build a top phone with the latest hardware. It'll show that RIM is in the game with Apple and Google.

I would totally force AT&T to release the 9900 asap!!!! :)

Easy...

1.- Leadership and teamwork conferences (also to motivate employees)

2.-Fully transform BBOS to QNX, such as including 2 or + cores (processor) and 1.2GHz+ for smartphones (even curve) and 1.8GHz+ (or maybe 1.5GHz+ and quadcore+ for tablets) to support a better OS [also make QNX more open to developers including other languages (development languages) and inproved browser, adobe reader in-browser and silverlight]

3.-QNX laptops[2.7GHz+]/desktops[3.2GHz+] (no netbooks yet, maybe ultrabooks and of course QNX BlackBerry Enterprise Server and BlackBerry Bridge compatible)

4.-Develop a new sector (of RIM) in charge of media. Push for Netflix.

5.-"QNX, BlackBerry amplified" or something like that for advertisement, basically saying that RIM got a BIG improvement, making something great, become idk perfect or something like that (BIG ADVERTISEMENT CAMPAIGN)

Extra.- Look for what people is looking for!!

I'm really torn about RIM. Got a 9650 a couple of months ago to replace my 9550 which had broke. Was at my wits end with it at the time it broke. However when I got the Bold it lasted only 11 days before I had had it with with it. Did more battery pulls in those 11 days than I had with my Storm in the 3 previous months. I would have thought with twice the RAM that the Bold would have been a blast to use. Suffice it to say I have an iPhone now, at least until the QNX phones hit the market. I love my PlayBook, but no one out there seems to be loving it. I miss taking my PlayBook to work and using Bridge. But the BB phones out at the time just were sucking and could take the freezes and hourglasses. I don't have any answers for what I would do with RIM. I'm concerned that I might never go back. I always believe you should always remember your roots and BlackBerry is where I got my smart phone start. But if QNX doesn't get any love then it will be a wasted OS. Sorry for the rant just had to get it out!

1. Marketing and Advertising
2. Make more deals with content providers (Content is the King)
3. Hire more developers
4. Take advantage of enterprise, health care, auto industry, gov, military, etc. presence and start introducing additional services (think outside the box. there are so many different ways to generate revenue)
5. 10" tablet
6. QNX based smart phone portfolio
7. Provide better presence in additional markets where mobile is the only option of web communication
8. Focus on details and quality
9. BB Store
10. Continue with acquisitions and strategic partnerships (Carriers, Content Providers, WiFi providers, Banks, Health care, Auto industry, Gov, Microsoft, )

1. take out led light and put in front face camera.
2. keep bold touch 9900 form factor.
3. qnx.
4.hd 1080 video record.
5.flash.

P.S. take the owner of at&t out back and kick him in the balls until he releases the bold 9900

I'm not a leader. Never have been, I simply do not have the motivation or brain power to really "lead." So I don't need to picture myself in that position. All I can say, is that I would vote for the big cahuna, CrackBerry Kevin with Michelle as his vice to head marketing and PR. I'm really not sure who would make the ideal CEO, nor how to really change RIM for the better. I feel they need long-term strategy just as badly as short term changes. Here's hoping!

1) Create a deal with Google that would allow BB devices to run Android software, eliminate BB App World entirely.

2) Team up with Google to destroy the iPhone.

3) Clean house of all upper-management and replace them with people who actually care about the company rather than lining their pockets.

4) Give 90% of all app profits to the developers, RIM already makes enough money selling devices.

5) Create a damn Google+ app already.

I can't get over Kevin's pic! Waaaaaaaazzuuuuuuuuuuuupp!

1) add support for activesync
2) more apps ( skype, logmein, etc...)
3) reduce playbook weight by 25%
4) new features and bug fixes faster
5) better BIS features (contacts, calender, gmail read sync)

In the words of Steve Balmer. Developers, developers, developers, developers. lol jk

1) Concentrate on the first QNX phone to be amazing hardware and software wise.

2) THEN advertise (The BB's the just came out don't really need advertising except for maybe Torch 9850/60. But not really.)

3) Focus on future products

4) Fix up the company internally. Like what was noted in the open letter by the RIM employee a few months back.

5) Lastly, send a assassin to Apple HQ.

1) multi-platform support for apps and blackberry devices..
2) create apps, a real apps
3) separate business and consumers platform
4) develop push on a higher level with current security platform
5) design, design, design...

Nice photo! ; )

1. 4 day workweek
2. New corporate jets
3. Build retractable dome over HQ
4. Focus all R&D on building a phone that can double as a fog machine
5. Change name to "Organic BlackBerry"

1. Makes sure products are ready for the market BEFORE bringing them to market.
2. Develop products that you are proud to showcase and then do so.
3. Leverage the impressive infrastructure upon which Blackberry devices rely to attract business and consumers alike.
5. Remember your focus, business first, while improving all-around appeal.

Also, partnerships are important. There will be those who will not want BlackBerry devices but there is a great potential market for services like BlackBerry Connect on non-BlackBerry devices.

1. Polish and modernize the BlackBerry platform. "Liquid graphics" were a big step in the right direction but RIM still needs to tighten up the OS some more. Things should be simpler and more streamlined. No more menu's with 20+ options. Figure out a more straightforward way to handle that. Also, devise a way to avoid rebooting after installing apps. I don't know how wise it is to invest in the current platform with QNX on the horizon, but whether these improvements are incorporated via QNX or future BB OS versions they need to happen.

2. Add features consumers want. Things like instant two way read email sync come to mind. Cloud storage for photos and music would be good too, but I am mainly thinking of things that everyone wishes their BlackBerry did better.

3. Focus the product group and brand around fewer devices and a simpler device naming scheme. RIM's strong suite is keyboard based devices. The BlackBerry brand needs to mean something tangible to consumers. Also the current number based naming scheme is confusing for everyone.

4. Iterate faster; get out from under the carrier's thumbs. I don't even know how plausible this is, but RIM needs to be able to fix bugs and release updates for their phones as fast as they do on the playbook.

5. Attract popular app developers my any means necessary. Actively pursue the developers of the best and most popular apps on other platforms (angry birds, skype, words with friends, netflix, etc.). Subsidize their development or even licence their brand and develop in house if necessary (like facebook and twitter for blackberry). Also ensure that these apps perform as well as apps on other platforms. Don't release them if they don't.

1. Create a special $99 offer on PlayBooks for:

(a) all current and future BlackBerry owners -- one offer per PIN.

(b) all college and university students -- one offer per university/student ID couplet. Make sure they come pre-loaded with developer tools.

Yes, they'd lose money on each unit. But they're also trying to launch a new product here. This is a far better marketing spend than almost anything else. Get people using the things, stat.

2. Alongside the Blackberry Partners Fund, create 5-10 industry-vertical funds -- (i) car drivers, (ii) law firms, (iii) recording musicians, (iv) retail banking, (v) investment advisors, (vi) hospitals, (vii) ad agencies -- with a mandate to: (a) fund promising BB and PB apps within the vertical; (b) fund research on use cases within the vertical; and (c) commission BB and PB apps that correspond to those use cases. The goal would be to make the BB and PB simply essential for people working within those verticals -- apps that correspond to what people need and do it well.

3. Acquire Evernote, and integrate into the QNX platform -- a cloud-based read/write, media omnivore.

4. Acquire Boxee, and merge with the Blackberry Presenter and Blackberry Gateway products. Operate as a separate division.

And fifth -- merge with Nintendo!

1. Shift the internal mindset within the company onto who the real customers of RIM are and start catering to them- the user (be it consumer or business oriented), not the carriers. Users are the one's buying these devices and committing to 2 and in canada 3 year contracts for the privilege of using these devices. While the carriers are the ones directly selling the devices, it is user taste that dictates what is bought.
2. Hire a decent PR firm that can get the company reputation with their real customers out from under the sand (apart from those on CB obviously who are not blindfolded by all of the ipixie dust). The negative sentiment, while in some cases is founded, should be met or better yet preempted with a proper, full advertising campaign for existing products and services as well as proper announcements for upcoming devices. Seeing one commercial every month on TV followed by 50 bad scorching reviews isn't a positive...There are a lot of great uses for the products and amazing accessories that people simply do not know because they are hidden on a website, not available & known about through carriers. (How many of you actually knew that a Blackberry had a charging pod available for purchase before seeing cb.com?)
3. Push the envelope on your products, losing the "It's good enough" attitude, and give the products an air of sophistication from the first time the consumer sees the package, to booting up the device, to actually using it. The whole thing should be an experience that users will find memorable and build some loyalty. This means not being afraid to put more memory in the device (despite being "good enough" for "now"), making / dictating the packaging not seem like something purchased from the dollar store - 9900 on Rogers / Telus / Verizon (good) and Playbook (good) vs 9900 on TMO / 9780 (bad), and removing the dreaded truncated message limit where the size is deemed "good enough". Now, "good enough" also applies to QC , or lackthereof (looking at Mexico), Software builds (referring to Storm line). Bottom line is have the cajones to move forth. Consistent failures should be corrected (i.e. terminated)
4. Get some sense of Project Timelines - In terms of Product cycles, RIM has become a joke. Products are announced too early, deadlines not met, and when finally released to the market, it is left to the carrier / store to market (which means there is no marketing / press release). This even applies to accessories. Instead, announce the product at set times - devcon, blackberry world, back to school season, christmas, thanksgiving, spring break, whatever and stick to it. If you don't know a date ("60 days scheduled", "this summer", etc) don't open your mouth. Consistent failures again should be corrected.
5. Go retail. Baby steps are there already with shopblackberry.com (which mind you is abysmal - see comment on pushing the envelope above). Yes, there are a couple stores in airports...but I'm talking actual stores (no 30000 sq ft place, just something that people can come in and try the devices, and purchase them UNBRANDED and UNLOCKED. Between devices, accessories, and software (both consumer and enterprise) the pieces are there for "BlackBerry boutiques" to become major sources of new customers and revenue.

1) Release real flagship devices, without silly compromises (AF, battery life) and silly marketing (Our thinnest Blackberry ever!)
2) Properly support devs, by having labs and meetups in major cities worldwide and by having more internal developers that work on improving the SDKs. The PlayBook has been released in April and there are still major bugs and flaws that prevent devs from releasing quality, secure apps. Everything is just going too slow.
3) Provide security for everybody, on every format. Corporation and government need strong cryptography, but consumers can benefit too as we store more and more personal info on these devices. The smartphones are doing OK, the PlayBook gets a F.
4) Hire a team of usability experts to cleanup the OS. Even the PlayBook isn't getting everything right and it will get worse once OS 8 and QNX merge.
5) License the BES + cloud solution to Microsoft and Android both need better messaging and security features. One day it will be too late, people will be happy with the security and push capabilities of other platforms.

My biggest change would be an overhaul of their MARKETING and advertising! Apple has all those "If you don't have _____, then you don't have an iPhone." I think RIM should have wayyyy more commercials. The MTV Video Music awards aired (the demographic that RIM should be begging to get back), and the Bold 9900 had come out on Verizon and Sprint & was about to launch on T-Mobile. I would have had an onslaught of BlackBerry commercials, showing "cool" stuff like the Wikitude browser, the BBM Music, the way that Facebook and Twitter is integrated. etc. Endless possibilities!

I also have always thought that BlackBerry has a built-in celebrity clientele that they simply ignore the attention of or don't want. And I think that's wrong. I know that the average reader of CrackBerry probably doesn't care about celebrities or what they do or buy, but we're the geeks that will buy RIM products anyways. A lot of people in the United States are consumed by pop culture, reality tv; we are the country that has people famous for simply being famous. If RIM did a few commercials with celebrities with their theme "Do What You Love," showing how different stars or household names use their BlackBerry to do what THEY love, I think a lot of people would think "wow, BlackBerrys aren't just the phones that old people have to get at work and then turn off when they get home to use their Android or iPhone."

It also was a huge mistake to not have a big launch party for the Bold 9900 or any of the OS7 phones. I know they had that Fan Night in Toronto, but RIM has the cash to throw an event to invite the celebrities to at some nice hotel in Hollywood, put a Bold 9900 in their hands and then wait for their tweets about it, or for it to show up in pictures in magazines. It all sounds like a cheap way to get publicity, but I saw Kevin retweet a tweet from Kim Kardashian, talking about how "crazy" the new Bold is and how she loves it, and the next day asked if anyone knew of any cool solitaire apps for it. She might not be my or your favorite person, but she has over 9million followers, and there are always those people that need to have whatever celebrities have...

When rim took over TAT I though it would integrate more of its cool UI inovations into the os and ALL of its apps, turns out they're just sitting back and watching what the QNX guys are doing. QNX is SO much like WEBos I'd purchase the damned OS and integrate it with the QNX stuff. In short, I'd hand the sterring wheel the TAT guys and let them drive the piss out of it. Let them design a handset based on the UI features they became known for, if the BBos's had SOME of the TAT UI's demoed on their website it would kill IOS and Android. The UI is what gives the phones that "COOL" factor that every consumer is looking for. Anyway doubt anything will happen but I'm along for the ride...
Thanks
Darwin

1. Stop treating business users & consumers differently. Every one wants a functional, secure platform. Whether they know or not, everyone is basically the CEO of their own space/image. RIM should focus on delivering best user experience regardless.

2. Put the latest & greates hardware/ features into their flagship device. Stop using battery life as an excuse to hold back. If it is so important acquire a battery manufacturer and develop your own.

3. Learn to listen to employees & fanatics like Crackberry members. Within rantings & ravings there are very tangible ideas and concepts that could prove viable.

4. Become more agile- we all saw this coming. RIM knew it was falling behind in some areas and decided not to act. It was the corp. culture created by existing mgmt - cut the red tape and figure out methods/processes to assess problems as they happen and address them immediately.

5. Fire co-ceo's. I don't know of any other company that rewards failure, especially failure via negligence.

Communicate, get products out quicker, give launch dates not just a time of year,coddle devs (so we get good apps)make them want to develope for this platform and listen.

1) Focus on making upcoming QNX smartphones groundbreaking in Hardware and Software

2) Maintain and push Blackberry's standing as the most secure Smartphone

3) Continue to pursue excellence in push e-mail technology

4) Incorporate multi-function app players i.e Android/IOS/Windows in all models.

5) Continously introduce mid range to high end Smartphones

Fix playbook shortcomings and quit selling devices that are not complete software wise if it takes a year to send out a meaningful upgrade. Allow saving email attachments on playbook. Native PIM apps on playbooks that can be synced with BB and/or BB Desktop Manager. Went from os5 to os7 and lost apps that work, what gives. Important (to me) app for eBay non-existant on 7 and on 5 did not come close to what was on Iphone, know that is developer issue but conducting business on ebay impossible with 7 or Playbook. Offer virtual phone keypad for 9930, be much easier to use at times, screen is empty anyway.

I had a two hour long conversation last night with a friend of mine (avid Android user) discussing and debating the pros and cons. I am a die-hard blackberry fan, therefore I was trying to sway him. We did a little role playing game where I attempted to "sell him" a blackberry. It was actually pretty fun to come up with pitches and reasons why blackberry is better. I compared RIM to a Vietnam-era military veteran. Been around the block, knows more than these young "whipper-snappers" but may be a bit lacking on the new-age technology.

Honestly, if I ran RIM I would only change a few things. I believe the partnered CEO structure is unique in a good way. You have accountability between persons rather than one CEO becoming corrupted or making a really bad decision. I don't believe RIM's CEOs have bad leadership. I believe they are still in the mindset that RIM's past will carry them. That holds true of a company with a strong past, but only to an extent. It will only carry so far.

RIM needs to finally accept that the Apple and Android platforms are huge contenders in the industry, and really push towards re-creating the old platform that we know and love.

Top 5 things I would do, if I ran RIM.
1. Keep the current CEOs on staff.
I still back them. I don't believe they're doing a bad job. What I would do is have a serious sit-down/heart-heart conversation with them both about knocking down their pride a bit and restructuring. They need to go back to seeing their products through the eyes of the consumer-where the money is.

2. Acquire and implement technology that is geared towards the future.
Blackberry 7 devices are an incredible leap for RIM, but comparatively speaking they're merely catching up with the rest of the smartphone world. QNX-powered devices are RIM's future, and need to be treated as such. Really put thought into these devices to make sure that when it's released, it will be surpassing Apple and Android, instead of merely matching them.
I'm excited to see NFC being included with new devices as I believe this technology, while not that new, will start becoming more widely used.

3. Keep the user-end BES devices up to date, easier to acquire, etc.
Blackberry is business. Period. You talk about Android on a business standpoint, and your company's IT department will laugh at you. Let's keep it this way. Don't let Apple's business server take over. I work for a company that uses BES and has about 1,000 devices out there. I constantly hear complaints about their devices being too old. I realize this has a lot to do with the company, but let's try and make newer devices more available to businesses.
A grocery chain in my area made the switch from BES to Apple. They no longer have a BES. Let's make sure this doesn't happen more often.

4. Take suggestions from employees
Let the low-level support person tell you about customer's experiences with your product. Customer service reps and other employees on the same level (non-management) are the ones that have the most "real" view of their customer base. Let's listen to what they have to say.

5. Push the Playbook more into the business area.
I currently use my Playbook for all kinds of areas of my life, but I wouldn't be able to connect my Playbook to my company's BES. Develop QNX to support BES technology, then push the product further.

These are just a few suggestions. I have a few more, but those are the main ones.

1. Re-brand the company to BlackBerry since no one but a blackberry fanboys knows what RIM is.

2.Focus on top selling applications (Angry Birds, an email client ) and mobile services (Netflix, Hulu, Skyp) make sure they are working on each new device before they are launched publicly.

3. Pick 3 handsets,one tablet, a notebook, and possibly a time piece all running QNX (also see number 2) with something like blackberry bridge connecting users multiple device.

4. Commit to revamping app submission and testing so app developers are not waiting 6 months to find out that they where missing a form so the application couldn't be tested.

5. Up the standards for application approval, but provide more help to developers that are having trouble getting applications passed. RIM should be able to handhold developers (Especially the big guys) through the development process to make sure apps work perfectly with a device and are not just some ported android application quickly made to work on a bb device.

1. Beef up the marketing team.
2. QNX. Everywhere.
3. Change the perception of Blackberry being "business only."
4. Pay attention to market demands.
5. Put Kevin on the board.

1) Make sure QNX's superphone capabilities and on par with current Blackberry OS, Android and iOS standards, in all aspects, no exception.
2) Invest on research and innovation to offer something beyond what was found on 1)
3) Invest in a better Marketing strategy to show 2)
4) Create a realistic plan to put those cell phones in the market at a steady rate.
5) Put emphasis on marketing the devices as all-in one, for both enterprises, power and casual users.

1. better marketing for BB / RIM products. not enough air time anywhere.

2. look at what technology is coming down the pipeline.Work with vendors to try to leapfrog competitors in the hardware space race. make the hardware platform viable for at least 1.5 major revisions. You start on 5 you should end on 6 midlife, you start on 7 it damn well better be able to run QNX. If current vendors are not cutting it then Find ones that will.

3. get QNX ready for next gen BB (they are already working this) and make it scale-able so that it will take less work to move from platform to platform (torch, bold, playbook.)

4. work on dev relations to get more apps for the OS and all future OSs. and More QNX integration. allow it to talk to everything you want it to. your car, your house, that thing in the box of geek porn you keep under the bed. Re-evaluate current dev policy to allow more developers to program for rim apps.

5. work to get CB Kevin on the RIM BOD. J/K .

real # 5. Try to innovate the business space with better application support. make BES enterprise a true flagship application. Fix customer issues that have been present since before 5.0 and work to identify new solutions for BES admins to deploy and maintain.

and oh yeah make BB Protect part of the standard BES tool set. try to reduce cost of ownership on BES and BB devices. Happy BB customers are repeat BB customers.

1. Quadruple Marketing/PR/Advertising Budget and establish the division in the NYC market so I can run it easily.
2. Hire 20-30 developers to become full-time employees to develop applications but also allow them to develop any other applications they want on the side
3. Fire dead wait and established higher quality control for software-hardware
4. Reach out to major company's like Amazon, B&N, Skype, etc to develop applications for devices suck as Kindle, Nook, Skype, Netflix, Hulu, ooVoo etc.
5. Large media events that show off devices (device launch no more than 1 week after on EVERY carrier.

Oh and I would also buy Web OS from HP and incorporate features into QNX OS

NEVER release a phone again until it is FULLY baked.

NEVER release an under-powered phone or one without enough hardware resources. What is the point of having a bunch of apps available if you can't load many on your phone. Also what is the point of being able to multi-task if your phone slows to a crawl when you have a few apps open.

Make it EASY for developers to sign-up and write apps for BBs.

Looking back, I would not have released the Playbook, but instead I would have devoted the resources to QNX phones. The Playbook could have followed after the phones were released.

I am happy to see the BB7 series phones are working much better than the last few generations and I am actually considering a BB again for my next phone.

1. I would make Andy Rubinstein CEO, after what he did with WebOS. Intergrate it with BB OS would be unbeatable.

2. Open in office in the Silicon Valley, scoop up any former Google/Apple Execs, as well as other creative minds and move forward.

3. Get an entirely new marketing team that can recognize how much celebrities and politicians love BB. Heck, the President of the United States swears by your product and RIMM didnt run with it. Celebs use BBM for its level of encryption. When was the last time someone complained about TMZ hacking their BBM account????? They know they have something, but they just dont quite use the brass ring that BBM has been to them.

4. Put Kevin and Jonathan Gellar (Boy Genius) on the board of directors, place the rest of the Crackberry Team in executive level positions and blanket CB under blackberry.com.

5. Start fighting fire with fire. Be forward thinking. Enterprise is yours, either cator to consumers and give them what the competitors are offering or walk away completely. The Bold 9000 came out in 2008, the Bold 9900 (the device we all dreamed about) should have come out in 2009. The Torch should have come out in 2009 or 2010 and by now it should have a 3.5" screen. Keep the Curve Series and believe it or not the Style; there are people that love flips, go figure.

RIMM, we love you, but its getting harder to defend you!!!! Stop being 2-3 season behind. You took a risk with the Storm, jump on the same grenade with QNX.

That's Easy! I'd give more "Power" to the people! I would simply give them what they want in a Blackberry!

1)More Processors
2)More Processor Speed
3)More Ram
4)More Battery Capacity
5)More On-Board Storage
6)More Screen Real-Estate on the Vertical axis for the 9810
7)More Keyboard Space - a la 9900
8)3G, HSPA+, LTE
9)BT 3.0
10)32GB Micro SD included
11)FFC
12)QNX - (User can run OS7 if so desire)
13)Ability to Play Flash (via QNX)
14)HotSpot Capable
15)8-10mp DigiCam
16)1080 Video
19)Left-Side Convenience Key
20)And One Heck Of A Title. Since the Titan nameplate is already taken by another Mfr, I'd called it the Blackberry Cayenne 1000,....because this would be one Hot device! On the street, it would simply be known as the BBC1,...or The One!

JMD
...soon to upgrade from 9800 to 9810!

RIM needs to Split the Company in 2

2 different Brands

one for Business Enterprise ( completely different people operating it)

one for Consumers Fun apps , music, partying etc ( completely different people operating it)

problem solved.

Next !

Free beer every other Thursday will save RIM , well it might save me lol hahaha

Reduce the amount of phones, focus on 2, one full touch, and one keyboard with touch.

Drop ALL other developments other then Tablet and 2 Phones.

Work with the big companies to get apps made for Playbook and the 2 Phones.

Hardware and 1 Operating System that far exceeds anyone else's with better Battery technology.

More Marketing, less tv commericals (no one watches commercials anymore) More billboard/poster adds, put even more product placement in tv shows/movies in place of commercials.

I would stay ahead of the curve. I would read the net. I would learn from mistakes. I would push what's working at the moment. I would have a better salary then what I have now.

1. Stop making so many different phones. Just make one great phone each year.

2. Go back to improving email and making it by far the best of any handheld device.

3. Fix App World's usability. It still sucks.

4. Let everyone buy apps billed to their carrier account. Do whatever's necessary to get that capability with every single carrier that offers BIS.

5. Let developers know what's coming on the OS front. When is BBOS being discontinued, will BBOS apps run well on QNX (including animation apps and OpenGL apps), will Android and Flash apps run on QNX phones? And when?

1) Get a new marketing team - hire the best people I could;
2) Work out a marketing campain for the US - "BlackBerry Awe";
3) Work out a marketing for places where RIM is still strong - "The BlackBerry Statement";
4) Work out a campain for places where RIM has few to no influence/markets where people are not that brand-focused - "Meet BlackBerry";
5) Push the top of line products all over the works ASAP, working with partners/carriers to have the prices as low as it's feasonable. After all, marketing is useless if you don't have products to sell.

Erm...

6) Get OS 4.6- devices out of the shelves and give them away to nonprofits (they hurt the brand now that they are so outdated, but they would work wonders on BESX and nonprofits woud love RIM forever, planting a seed there);

7) Go Microsofty - The platform lacks apps? Ok, let's pay some people to develop the app, RIM issues the project and assigns a project manager. The PM hires the dev/company and they build/deliver/support. Costs a bit, but if works for Microsoft, should work for us;

8) QNX. Jan 19th, enterd BlackBerry Alpha Q1, thew family line with specs and OS to make Android/iOS pale.

9) Buy Palm, licence everything we can cash on.

Last but not least...

10) Hire the CB crew.

1. Hire a decent PR firm. In the days of data caps, why is it that RIM doesn't advertise the fact that (at least, last time I checked) the BIS uses less data? Preferably advertised on a Verizon-red middle finger. Perceptions need to be changed, and PR firms manage public perception.

2. Home screen widgets. Pet peeve of mine. Plus, it would help mitigate the nebulous (and often undefined) complaint of "It looks dated".

3. Dump a ton of money into making profiting off of application development easier. Running Android apps is a great first step. Make the API easier to use- that's a complaint I've heard a time or three. Nevermind "courting" developers. Show them that they can make money. Most of us don't do this for fun.

4. Understand that you are *never* going to change the minds of iZombies. So don't try. Understand that working with channel partners will help figure out why they push some phone models over others. That's the market you need to win.

5. Damn all the rules. Make one phone that breaks all of RIM's rules. Make a device with a huge set of processors, AMOLED screen with an unreal pixel density, and all the bells and whistles. Sure, it may have a battery life that makes a Thunderbolt's look good in comparison, but that's what some people want. Provide it.

1. Put Kevin on the board
2. Increase advertising. More quality commercials.
3. Deliver on promises made. (or you can say under promise & OVER DELIVER!) (where's my Android Player on the PlayBook?)
4. Re-work App World so that each Application has a distinct name. No Duplicate App Names allowed! (tic tac toe... anyone?). Allow Advanced searching options for apps on the website on a computer (by device - only apps for 9900 or PlayBook)
5. Get the QNX SuperPhone out by end of February 2012.

1. Spend all ad dollars on educating viewers on one key BB feature per ad. (.e.g keyboard shortcuts, autotext filtering, autocorrect, dial from within an app, contact history)
2. Hire personal tutors for Mike and Jim to speak as simply as Steve Jobs. (No, not be Steve Jobs, just speak as clearly as he does...or maybe Obama.)
3. Give Amazon whatever they want to build a native Kindle app for Playbook. (Yes, I know Cloud Reader works...but still...and whoever went with Kobo over Kindle should be shot...or at least fired.)
4. Prioritize the ease of file transfer and file management between all BB devices over all links (WiFi, USB, Bluetooth, NFC, BBM, email, cloud services like Dropbox/SugarSync).
5. Give Kevin Michaluk whatever the hell he wants!

1. Remain true to the BB roots - don't become all things to all people
2. Throw away all of the EDoF cameras
3. Change relationships with carriers - at least release os updates ota
4. Vow to release one updated BB based on the 9000 (eg 9900) every year
5. Love Bla1ze's suggestion of making RIM employees for a month, so will go for that, with a 5.5 for putting the CB team on the board and the above photo on the boardroom door!

Nice photo man! Hahahahaha

Better; advertising, developer relationships, BBOS beta testing, management and forward thinking.

1. MARKETING MARKETING MARKETING - More mass media advertising SHOWING the real advantages of BB OS7 and QNX - Make clever & funny adds that will get us the consumers to NOTICE that BB is more than just a pager :p (showing real people tricks and unique features).

2. Get key people on board such as CB Kevin on the B of D - or make him honorary RIM ambassador - or head of media advertising etc.

3. GET KEY APPS on Playbook already!! Skype is one of them STAT!! This will be key for QNX's success.

4. Launch only 1 QNX phone as scheduled early 2012 even if its a parallel product to BB OS7 phones - just to get it out for the non corporate (fart-apps hungry) people!! (make sure to add a front facing camera for skype and BBM)!!

5. Depending on how QNX performs and is able to integrate the excellent UI but not forgetting about why we love our BBs (real time & ALL time connectivity, alerts (dont forget about the LED notification) and communication) - they could move forward to letting go of the BB OS on all future phones.

6. Get AT&T to release the 9900 NOW!!!

- License BES to external companies (IOS and Android)
- Separate Blackberry hardware from software, licensing the OS (Android vs. WiMo7 vs. WebOS vs. RIM on ALL HARDWARE)
- Fire dual CEO's (sorry guys)
- Finish Davlik VM ASAP, screw native apps, use browser + air + android
- Fix Playbook and QNX to support BES

1. Invest in software engineers to pump out QUALITY software updates faster.
2. Invest in developers.
A. Make the developer sign up process easier.
B. Give out free tools, phones and software updates to development community.
C. EXPAND THE DIFFERENT CODING LANGUAGES TO MAKE APPS- Adobe Air, Flash are already there but add more. Much more. Keep Expanding and diversifying what QNX can run and services it can provide.
3. Allow android app store access for apps.
4. Partner with Amazon on a music MP3 service. Create a Custom in house app for the cloud player and MP3 purchase service. Integrate it with BBM Facebook etc. (Maybe use their android app store.) Screw this omnifone bbm crap.
5. Start investing in hardware and software companies- Partner with NVIDIA or AMD to create better chip sets. This will allow for patent sharing and profit sharing from patents. These chips should be powerful, should include spectacular graphics and all around performance and should use very little battery life.

If I were running RIM:

- Sell and become billionaire.

- Open BlackBerry Stores
- Deepen intergration between BlackBerry QNX devices and other QNX computers (include cars in those.. this would probably spark apple to build an iCar :D )
- Make rugged devices
- Build BB OS8, without AppStore, only RIM's apps and offer it as communication only unlocked device.
- Add free public VOIP support to BB infrastructure

1) Kevin on the board of directors & permanent position at RIM
2) In the words of Steve Ballmer,,, DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPERS!!!!
3) Pour a ton of money into marketing.
4) Purchase Palm to have the patent to the "Smartphone" and sue everyone else.
5) Work with Third Party company's to make more accessories and flood the market with everything BlackBerry

-create an evangelist position @ RIM much the way Apple had Guy Kawaski as a product evangelist - of course CBK would have to be the first choice for this position

-open up the cash war chest and throw money at developers in a Microsoft way. Like Balmer has said "Developers, Developers, Developers"

-open up the beta program more wide to include OS builds, much the way Apple does with it's iOS dev program. why not let the users who want to be on the bleeding edge of the BlackBerry world send in real world input? i can guarantee you the data you get back from those of use who want to live in a perpetual beta world will be much more useful than the pretend world carriers test them in.

1. Advertise
2. Romance developers
3. Advertise
4. Develop relationships with companies like Netflix and the like.
5. Advertise

In one short paragraph:

If I ran Research In Motion I would negotiate a strategic partnership with Samsung where they would make the hardware and I would have RIM focus entirely on software and services. Priority would be for QNX to be able to run on the BES and BIS infrastructures, having native (E-mail, Calendar, BBM, etc). This will allow me to sell off the part of the company that focuses on hardware. This would help the bottom line, and increase shareholder value.

Thanks,
Martin
@SurrealCivic

1. Revamp the blackberry line COMPLETELY!
All new design
Screw QNX, start FRESH
2. NEW Advertising stating WHY BB is better Than iPhone.
3. Recruit developers. A LOT MORE DEVELOPERS
4. Fire Both CEO's , higher a YOUNGER Fresh new CEO that KNOWS what people want
5. Press conferences, that details all the new phones and features you're releasing with RELEASE DATES. & Sell your phones on your website

1) Put Kevin on the board
2) Put tons of extra efforts behind development, and enticing developers to support the platform
3) Refine OS update process (smaller updates that fix issues verse whole OS, less delay)
4) Listen to the community, not only the business users but the average consumer too
5) Ensure all employees are continually innovating, and that everyone is happy and excited to be doing what they are doing.

1) Put Kevin on the board.
2) Put in better processes for BB App World
3) Pour money onto developers
4) Stray away from some of what "has worked in the past"
5) Force every employee to use ANOTHER platform for a week or more.

In no particular order:

• Put CrackBerry Kevin on the Board of Directors
• Increase marketing for the PlayBook and new BB7 devices
• Work with companies that develop apps we want, ie Skype, Netflix, etc. Make it happen!
• Listen to the CB podcasts, read CB blogs, read the forums… see what the people want and then give it to us!
• Release some solid QNX info to keep people interested.

I'd put Kevin on the board, and also make sure photos like the one above NEVER happen :P

playbook email client